She’s not quitting. Takeaways from Nikki Haley’s push to stay in the GOP contest against Trump

By STEVE PEOPLES
AP National Political Writer

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Nikki Haley’s team is bracing for a home state embarrassment in South Carolina’s Republican presidential primary on Saturday. Conventional wisdom suggests she’ll be forced to drop out. But the conventional wisdom may not apply in 2024. Ahead of a major speech on Tuesday, Haley told The Associated Press that she’s definitely staying in the race no matter what at least until after another 20 states vote through Super Tuesday on March 5. That’s even as Donald Trump’s MAGA movement is furious that she’s refusing to drop out. After all, she’s the last major candidate standing in his path to the nomination. The Associated Press spoke with Haley and several senior campaign officials and donors about her strategy ahead of her big speech.