Nikki Haley to NH GOP: I’ve overcome the odds before

MANCHESTER, N.H. –  She says she’s now had 31 events here in New Hampshire, but will keep coming back until she’s earned the votes of Granite State Republicans.

On Wednesday night, former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley was the featured speaker at the New Hampshire Republican Party Summer Cookout, marking the latest stop on her quest for the GOP Presidential Nomination.

Although Haley is still mired in the pack behind former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Rick DeSantis, finishing at just 5% in this week’s St. Anselm College Survey Center poll, she reminded the crowd that expectations were low for her during her campaigns in South Carolina as well.

“When I ran for governor, I ran against the lieutenant governor, an attorney general, a very popular congressman and a state senator,” she said. “I was lucky to have three percent in the polls, I had the least amount of money, and I worked South Carolina like no one else and I won.”

Like other stops on her campaign so far, Haley touted her experience revitalizing South Carolina’s economy and working to install pride in American values on the international stage when appointed to represent the country at the U.N. by Trump. As president, she stated that she would continue to work toward advancing those values while also fighting for tougher immigration laws, national school choice legislation, mandatory voter ID and eliminating debt spending among other measures.

Haley also responded to a question on recent events in Russia regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Wagner Group as one of several examples of how Russia is losing its war in Ukraine. Although Haley said she would no longer provide cash to the Ukrainian government if elected president, she said she would provide Ukraine with weapons, stating that they were America’s greatest ally in the U.N. during her time as ambassador. She also stated that any win for Russia is a win for China, with China directly challenging U.S. interests and jeopardizing the security of U.S. citizens.

State Representative Brian Cole (R-Manchester) was one of those in attendance at the event. While Cole has endorsed DeSantis, he was impressed by Haley on Wednesday.

“I thought the governor spoke very well, I was very interested to hear what she had to say and I think her vision for the country is pointed in the right direction,” he said, adding that he thinks her views are comparable to those of DeSantis.

Haley praised New Hampshire Governor and fellow Republican Chris Sununu, with Sununu also praising Haley for her beliefs during an introduction earlier in the event. Sununu and New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Chris Ager also touted Republican accomplishments in Concord over the last several months such as universal licensing reciprocity and bipartisan passage of the state budget. Sununu and Ager also exerted confidence that Republicans will retake U.S. House seats in New Hampshire next year, with Sununu also praising Manchester mayoral candidate Jay Ruais, attacking Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig and Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess and urging Republican activists to help find candidates to run in next year’s state and federal elections.

“We don’t have a single Republican (state representative) in Nashua. Now, do you run the same Republicans in Nashua that you do in Salem? No, probably not, you have to find the Nashua Republican. I don’t really know what that means, but I don’t live in Nashua, the folks in Nashua know what that means,” he said. “My point is, you’ve got to find your district, find your opportunities, find folks who connect with the voters on a retail level, one-on-one about bringing something new to the table.”

Haley’s stop was one of several by her as well as Trump, DeSantis and fellow candidate Vivek Ramaswamy earlier in the week here in New Hampshire.

While Haley did not discuss the topic of abortion, earlier in the week New Hampshire Democratic Party leaders criticized Haley and other Republicans on that and other topics.

“Here in New Hampshire, we are pro-choice. We believe that Granite Staters should have the right to make our own health care decisions,” said Senate Democratic Leader Donna Soucy. “I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous it is that Trump, DeSantis, Haley, and Ramaswamy are opposed to that most fundamental freedom. Abortion is a litmus test for Republicans running for president — especially in New Hampshire — and Granite Staters deserve to know where each of these candidates stand.”

“Abortion isn’t the only issue where Trump, DeSantis, Haley, and Ramaswamy are cut from the same MAGA cloth. They support gutting Social Security and Medicare as we know it. And when it comes to the economy, these candidates’ records speak for themselves. At every turn, they’ve put the ultra-rich and big corporations over working people,” said New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley. “The contrast is clear: Democrats are fighting to make sure every Granite Stater can put food on the table and a roof over their head, and 2024 MAGA Republicans are pushing extreme culture wars and fighting for the ultra-rich.”