Close X
Saturday, November 23, 2024
ADVT 
International

Nikki Haley suspends race for White House after more losses 

Darpan News Desk IANS, 06 Mar, 2024 04:56 PM
  • Nikki Haley suspends race for White House after more losses 

Washington, March 6 (IANS) Nikki Haley, the former US Ambassador to the UN, suspended her campaign for the Republican nomination for President after a severe drubbing in the primaries held in more than 10 states on Tuesday.

Former President Donald Trump will now become the presumptive Republican nominee to take on President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in the November election. He has a lock on the nomination with 955 delegates, which is just a bit shy of the winning threshold of 1,215 delegates. (Every state gives the candidates a certain number of delegates who will vote to elect a nominee in the party convention later in the year. Haley has picked up only 88 thus far).

The Indian American Republican did not endorse Trump in a brief speech she delivered announcing she was suspending their campaign. She said the former President must earn the support of the party

"It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party who did not support him, and I hope he does," she said. "This is now his time for choosing."

Haley ran a gritty campaign coalescing Republican voters who did not want Trump to be their nominee again. But, in the end, their numbers fell far short of winning her the nomination. But she did raise substantial sums of money, garnering the support of some of the party’s largest donors, such as the immensely resourceful Koch Network, which in a sign of things to come, withdrew its support to Haley last week.

Haley won the primaries in only two states thus far, to Trump’s 22.

Calls had been mounting from within the Republican party for her to exit the race and let Trump focus on his contest against Biden. But Haley stayed in, arguing she was the better candidate than both Trump and Biden, who are battling voter scepticism on account of their age and, for the former president, a litany of civil and criminal charges, some of which he has lost and could end up in jail someday.

Haley’s exit raises questions about her future. Could she join Trump as his running mate? She has said before she is not interested in a position in a Trump administration and that she is not auditioning for a job. But that could change. She is a woman and as a woman of colour, she brings unmatched equity to the ticket.

But is Trump interested? He has not included her in a shortlist he discussed in a TV interview recently. Also, Haley’s Republican supporters are stridently anti-Trump and their vote and support is unlikely to transfer to the former President if he were to be joined by Haley.

But Haley has also set herself up as a formidable candidate for the Republican nomination in 2028. The comparison being drawn by most experts is Ronald Reagan’s run for the nomination in the 1968 Republican primaries. He lost to Richard Nixon, who went on to serve one term and a second truncated term. Reagan established himself as a significant figure in the party and the country and went on to win the nomination and the Presidency in 1980.

MORE International ARTICLES

Crowds begin to gather in London ahead of the coronation of King Charles

Crowds begin to gather in London ahead of the coronation of King Charles
A Canadian flag is among those fluttering above the road leading to Buckingham Palace, where metal barricades have been set up to contain the crowds.  

Crowds begin to gather in London ahead of the coronation of King Charles

Bills introduced in Michigan to recognise Diwali, Eid as official holidays

Bills introduced in Michigan to recognise Diwali, Eid as official holidays
Led by Majority Floor Leader in the House, Abraham Aiyash, and state representatives Ranjeev Puri and Sharon MacDonell, introduced the legislation to make Diwali, Vaisakhi, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Lunar New Year as official holidays in Michigan. 

Bills introduced in Michigan to recognise Diwali, Eid as official holidays

Indians among 60 delivery drivers held for working illegally in UK

Indians among 60 delivery drivers held for working illegally in UK
The drivers, working for companies including Deliveroo, JustEat, and UberEats, were arrested for offences, including illegal working and possession of false documentation. 

Indians among 60 delivery drivers held for working illegally in UK

XBB.1.16 variant drives global surge in Covid cases, deaths

XBB.1.16 variant drives global surge in Covid cases, deaths
Latest estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the subvariant XBB.1.16 accounts for 9.6 per cent of new infections this week - up from nearly 6 per cent of cases the week before and about 3 per cent two weeks prior.

XBB.1.16 variant drives global surge in Covid cases, deaths

Two Indian expats killed in separate accidents in UAE: Report

Two Indian expats killed in separate accidents in UAE: Report
Sharjah-based Abhilash, 38, had gone boating with his colleagues in Khor Fakkan when the accident took place.  Three other people, including a child, were injured in the accident with at least one of them in critical condition, the Sharjah Police said on Monday.

Two Indian expats killed in separate accidents in UAE: Report

Body of missing Indian-American software engineer found

Body of missing Indian-American software engineer found
The body of a 30-year-old Indian American software engineer, who went missing on April 9, has been recovered from a small lake in Maryland, police said.  The deceased, Ankit Bagai, was found in Lake Churchill on Tuesday by officers who were called to the area after a body was reportedly seen in the water.

Body of missing Indian-American software engineer found