On Tuesday, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley announced her candidacy for president, making her the second to formally announce as a Republican. Her first kick-off event will be held in Charleston, S.C. on Feb. 15.
Former President Trump announced he is running in November. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is considered a front-runner, has not yet announced.
Haley was the United Nations ambassador for former Trump and was twice elected governor of her state. Her parents immigrated from India before she was born, making her a second-generation American. She graduated from Clemson University with a degree in accounting and served in the South Carolina House of Representatives.
Haley, in her video announcement released on Twitter, (see it below) called for a generational change and said she would be a strong leader to take on adversaries, both foreign and domestic.
At 51 years old, she is 25 years younger than Trump, who is 76, and 29 years younger than President Joe Biden, who is 80.
The presidential election is Nov. 5, 2024, now 630 days from her announcement, but the first Republican primary or caucus is less than a year away. The Iowa Republican caucus takes place Feb. 5, 2024.
Although he has vocally declared his intent to run, John Bolton, former National Security Adviser to Trump, and former ambassador to the U.N., has not officially announced his candidacy.
Other Republicans who have hinted they may run:
- Ron DeSantis, in his second term as governor of Florida, former member of House of Representatives, decision expected by May.
- Larry Elder, radio show host, attorney, and Republican candidate during the recall election of California Gov. Gavin Newsom
- Asa Hutchinson, former Arkansas governor, former administrator of U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency
- Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of State, former director of CIA, former U.S. Representative from Kansas.
Others who have shown interest in running are former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, former Michigan Congressman Mike Rogers, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, and former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney.
According to the polling firm Morning Consult, Haley is at this point a long-shot, with Trump leading the pack of potential Republican candidates with 47% support from likely Republican voters, according to poll results released Feb. 14, 2023.
