
Former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley on Sunday vowed to stay in the Republican presidential primary race at least through Super Tuesday, Bloomberg reported.
Haley said she expects to perform better in her home state of South Carolina than in the Iowa Republican caucus and last week’s New Hampshire primary.
“I think I need to do better than I did in New Hampshire,” she was quoted as having told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday. “So this is a building situation.”
Haley, however, stopped short of committing to remain in the race through the Republican nominating convention in July.
“I have every intention of going to Super Tuesday,” she said, adding, “I take it one state at a time. I don’t think too far ahead, but I’m not going anywhere.”
Trump has won both the Iowa caucuses and Republican primary in New Hampshire, placing him in good position to win the Republican nomination, especially after he received the endorsement of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis when he dropped out of the race.
Haley congratulated Trump on his victory in New Hampshire last Tuesday but clarified she has no intention of stepping down.
“New Hampshire is first in the nation. It is not the last in the nation. This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go, and the next one is my sweet state of South Carolina,” she declared.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who has endorsed Trump, predicted on Wednesday that the GOP primary race will effectively “end” in South Carolina after Trump wins that primary, prompting Haley to drop out.
“My prediction right now is Nikki will drop out 18 hours after South Carolina. After that, you cannot go on,” he said.