Nikki Haley drops out of 2024 GOP race after disappointing Super Tuesday

CHARLESTON − Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley dropped out of the 2024 presidential race in an address Wednesday, acknowledging that former President Donald Trump will likely be the Republican Party nominee.

"I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard. I have done that," Haley told supporters in Charleston, S.C. "I have no regrets."

She did not immediately endorse Trump, who has been losing a significant number of moderate Republicans and independents to Haley in GOP contests, but wished him well in the general election.

More: How Nikki Haley’s campaign defied all expectations – except one

“It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him. I hope he does." Haley said, underscoring her decision not to officially back Trump. "At its best, politics is about bringing people into your cause, not turning them away. And our conservative cause badly needs more people. This is now his time for choosing. "

Haley was the last remaining challenger to Trump in the GOP race.

Haley, the first Indian-American and female governor of South Carolina, came into the race as a low-polling candidate. She gained some momentum after her debate performances, which along with her foreign policy experience as Trump's former U.N. ambassador appealed to a wide range of voters.

Haley was the last of 13 Republican challengers who had sought to defeat Trump, but were never able to catch up to his lead. She had vowed to stay in the fight until at least Super Tuesday.

As her campaign picked up steam last fall, she attracted support from anti-Trump Republicans and independents. But she came in third behind Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Iowa, came up short in New Hampshire and lost the Nevada primary to "none of these candidates."

Haley had focused her campaign on New Hampshire, a state where independents make up the largest bloc of voters, but ended up with an 11-point loss to Trump. DeSantis’ exit from the 2024 primary may have bolstered Trump’s lead rather than giving Haley’s campaign the boost it had hoped for among undecided Republican voters. The ex-president defeated Haley there 54% to 43%.

After DeSantis dropped out of the race, Haley, 52, ramped up her attacks on Trump, going after the former president's age on the campaign trail and questioning the 77-year-old former president's mental fitness. She appealed to voters unhappy with their prospective general election choices and asked whether they wanted “two 80-year-olds” in Trump and Biden on the ticket in November.

She pledged to cut taxes, supported banning TikTok and acknowledged that climate change is real. On abortion, she has described herself as “unapologetically pro-life" but also called for Americans need to “stop demonizing” and “start humanizing” the issue of abortion.

Haley campaigned on her record of economic growth as governor and advocated for U.S. energy independence and boosting oil production.

She opposed gun reforms and said she does not trust the government with enacting red flag laws, which allow law enforcement to temporarily confiscate firearms under court order from people deemed dangerous.

On foreign policy, Haley said tensions with Russia, China and Iranian-backed militant groups are all connected. She called for ending normal trade relations with China until the illegal flow of fentanyl to the U.S. slows and distinguished herself from some of her Republican rivals in her support for continuing to aid Ukraine. She also offered strong support for Israel in its war against Hamas.

How many delegates does Nikki Haley have?

Haley won a mere 89 delegates in the GOP race, compared to Donald Trump’s 995 and counting. The former South Carolina governor found victory in only two of the 26 states and territories that have voted so far in the race – the District of Columbia and Vermont.

Trump needs 1,215 delegates to secure the Republican nomination, a threshold he is expected to meet this month.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nikki Haley drops candidacy for president in 2024 election