Nikki Haley attacks Donald Trump and again vows not to drop out
Greenville, South Carolina - With the South Carolina primaries only a few days away, presidential candidate Nikki Haley is once again vowing not to drop out even as her rival, Donald Trump, is expected to dominate the contest.
On Tuesday, Haley called an impromptu press conference billed as an update on the "state of the presidential race," where she vowed to stay in the race "until the American people close the door."
"Some of you came to see if I'm dropping out of the race. Well, I'm not," Haley told the crowd, adding, "I refuse to quit; I'm not going anywhere."
Haley went on to take shots at Trump for spending "$50 million dollars in campaign contributions" on his mounting legal battles, for threatening his political adversaries, and for his recent "call on Russia to invade NATO countries."
She was also brought to tears as she brought up how Trump recently mocked her husband, Michael Haley, who is currently serving overseas with the National Guard.
"He's getting meaner and more offensive by the day," she said of her challenger. "He's completely distracted, and everything is about him. He's so obsessed with his demons in the past that he can't focus on the future Americans deserve."
While she insisted that she is not a "never-Trumper," Haley made a point of shooting down rumors that she is seeking to be picked to be Trump's running mate.
"We know what a disaster he has been and what he will be for our party and our country," she stated. "I feel no need to kiss the ring, and I have no fear of Trump's retribution. I'm not looking for anything from him."
Donald Trump's campaign predicts what Nikki Haley will do following the primary
While Haley described her campaign as "bigger than myself" and her effort to "save" the country, she did not lay out what her planned path to victory actually looks like, especially as a recent poll found that Trump is leading in South Carolina by nearly 30 points.
Trump is currently facing 91 criminal charges that may threaten his chance at re-election, but as he has managed to gain support from the vast majority of the party, which believes his legal issues are part of a conspiracy by Democrats to destroy him, Haley has avoided discussing it.
Following her defeat in the New Hampshire primary last month, Haley refused to drop out of the race, despite calls from party members to do so, arguing she should back Trump as he is expected to take on President Joe Biden in the general election this November.
Haley has long argued that she would be able to defeat Biden, while Trump would fail to gain support with moderates and independent voters and ultimately lose the race.
Prior to Haley's statements, the Trump campaign released a memo that stated, "Nikki Haley's campaign ends Saturday, February 24, fittingly, in her home state, rejected by those who know her the best."
Reporters asked President Biden on Tuesday if he'd rather face Haley or Trump, to which he responded with a laugh and said, "Oh, I don't care."
Cover photo: Collage: ALMOND NGAN / AFP & Allison Joyce / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP