Nikki Haley is trying it all: transphobia, ageism, gun-toting pictures. But none of her tricks are working. The former South Carolina governor is barely registering in the latest Republican presidential polls, drawing just 4% of voters’ support.
But girl, she’s gonna keep trying! Haley’s race to the bottom is well underway.
During a recent interview with a local news affiliate in the Palmetto State, Haley followed the tired playbook and stressed her opposition to gender-affirming care for minors.
“You shouldn’t allow a child to have gender-changing procedure until the age of 18 when they are an adult and they can make that decision,” she said. “We shouldn’t have taxpayer dollars going to that.”
At least 16 states have banned gender-affirming care for minors, despite the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association both saying the practice can be life-saving.
But Haley isn’t letting the facts, or her dignity, get in the way of a good attack. Over the last week, she’s been promoting the idea that President Joe Biden will die in office.
That’s quite ironic for the woman who shot back at former CNN anchor Don Lemon for saying the 51-year-old politician is past her prime.
Instead of Biden, it’s apparent that Haley wants to run against Vice President Kamala Harris, who’s featured prominently in her latest attack ad.
“If you vote for Joe Biden you really are counting on a President Kamala Harris,” Haley says less than 10 seconds in the video, while ominous music and shots of Biden and Harris are displayed on the screen.
The reaction hasn’t been kind. Shockingly, Republican primary voters, many of whom are older, aren’t rallying around Haley’s message of death. And everybody else can see through it.
You guys will be shocked to hear Nikki is running for president. Most people don’t even know this!
— Milquetoast (@BlueRobotDesign) May 3, 2023
Unwatchable. Just stop. You’re desperate and pandering now.
— Jim Carey (@jimfromdaliwood) May 3, 2023
Who are you voting for since you won’t be in the mix?
— Majin (@AnimeLabs) May 3, 2023
But wait, there’s even more futile pandering to mock! A few days ago, Haley posed for the perquisite Republican candidate gun photo.
She looked quite silly, toting a rifle for the sole purpose of a desperate photo shoot, outfitted in matching shirt.
In the words of former Senator Claire McCaskill (tweet below), she’s “lost her way, and isn’t really sure who she is.”
Got to get those NRA donations in early before her campaign crashes and burns.
— Claire Armstrong (@Claireabelle___) April 29, 2023
What button transforms that gun back into Megatron?
— Jay Black (@jayblackisfunny) April 29, 2023
She must need more campaign cash from the NRA.
— Not_Mike_Brady (@Not_Mike_Brady) April 29, 2023
Just to attract MAGA voters???
— Prashant (@sasguy235) April 29, 2023
NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.
She can try posing with her Family holding GUNS .
That will also NOT work.
Lol..love how she fashion- color-coordinated w that war weapon.
— Claire S🖤💜❤️xoxo🦋 (@SaintLaurant) April 29, 2023
Once upon a time, Haley fashioned herself as a reasonable conservative, even signing a bill as governor to remove the Confederate flag from South Carolina’s state capital.
But yet, after an inglorious stint serving as Donald Trump‘s United Nations Ambassador, Haley said the Confederate flag symbolized “service, sacrifice and heritage” to some people in her state.
It’s apparent that Haley is lost. When she launched her doomed presidential campaign, she leaned into her distinction as the “first minority female governor” in history. At the time, Politico wrote the “2024 hopeful can’t decide who she wants to be—the leader of a post-Trump GOP or a ‘friend’ to the president who tried to sabotage democracy.”
Months later, Haley still can’t decide. She has nowhere to sit in the GOP primary lunchroom. Haley could team up with the flailing Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis, but his super PAC has started targeting–despite her low-single digit poll numbers!
It’s lonely at the bottom.
FreddieW
You lost me at “ageism”. The smartest thing she’s done in 6 years is to bring up Biden’s age.
Cam
Not when multiple Republican Senators are older and the Republican main presidential contender is almost the same age.
correctio
“Biden’s too old” “but there are older Republicans!”
yeah, the problem that our politicians are TOO OLD is bigger than Biden!
abfab
freddie and correctio GOP TROLLS
FreddieW
The problem with the gay establishment and the views it espouses is that it’s married to a political party. That came out loud and clear when HRC endorsed Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders in 2016, and it’s clearer than ever.
Sorry, I don’t know what made me gay, but I don’t owe it to the DNC. I vote for the candidate I think is best, and it may someday be a Republican again, though I haven’t voted that way since coming out in 2004. So call me a GOP troll all you like. I just think it proves you’re hopelessly dependent on others to do your thinking.
abfab
Untrue, GOP TROLL
DBMC
And Trump is only 4 years younger.
abfab
On paper, yes. So yes, 4 years younger by birth perhaps, but………………….he shows us every day that in fact, he’s a teenager who is stunted. And he’s a serial rapist. POS is the leader of the TROLLS! He even looks like a troll. How old are you freddiew?
DBMC
@Freddie,
Is it really a problem that the “gay establishment” (whatever that is) supports the party that isn’t trying to take our rights away?
DBMC
@correctio
The age of politicians is a problem. A problem facing us right now is conservatives pretending to be in the “gay community” who are trying to rile up gay men against trans people.
FreddieW
@DBMC
I’ve never voted for Trump and never will. The subject was Biden vs Nikki Haley. But that’s all any Democrat ever says when you criticize Biden. “But Trump …”
I’m sorry you can’t see that 2 bad choices is still 2 bad choices. Nikki Haley isn’t a great choice, but she isn’t an elderly straight white male that ought to be retired.
dbmcvey
@Fred
The Republican candidates are all pretty much the same. All anti-gay. It doesn’t matter what age they are.
FreddieW
@dbmcvey
You know, elections are about more than LGBTQ issues. There’s war and peace and economics to consider. People over 80 don’t have much incentive to keep the nation from burning to the ground. And it has been doing that for a while now.
FreddieW
And actually, she said “gender changing procedure” not “gender affirming care”. You know that all gays aren’t on the trans bandwagon, right?
If it were a choice between Haley and Biden, I wouldn’t pick Biden. I know what the responses will be, but why isn’t anyone demanding a reasonable choice from the Democrats? That’s all it takes — a sane Democrat (not the Kennedy fool) who isn’t as old as Methuselah running for President.
Bosch
Who do you think they’ll come for once they feel they’ve “won” against trans people?
FreddieW
Don’t know, and I came out so I wouldn’t be fearful about things anymore. Sorry, but that line of reasoning isn’t sufficient to get me on the bandwagon.
And who is she going to come for? She only said that people under 18 shouldn’t be allowed to undergo gender changing procedures.
Cam
LOL! The right wing troll account ALWAYS comes in to try to nit pick semantics.
Sweetie, Clarence Thomas ALREADY said that the ruling legalizing same sex marriage should be revisited. So trying to pretend that attacks on trans people are somehow not also directed at the rest of the community is just sad and embarrassing for you.
As always, your trolling is sad and weak.
mailliw110
Just curious. Why do you think this is any of your business and how does it hurt you?
Bosch
It’s not a “bandwagon”, it’s how we’ve been dealing with trans individuals for decades.
It wasn’t a problem until 2016, when the republicans decided they needed a new scapegoat by which to split the American people.
They’ve already extended this nonsense to pretending drag queens are dangerous, and calling the rest of us “groomers”, so I’m surprised you can’t tell which way the wind is blowing.
If the republicans actually gave a crap about children, they would do something about American gun violence.
abfab
freddiew
GOP TROLL
DBMC
Keep telling yourself that Freddie. Whatever you need to live with yourself.
abfab
freddiew is getting old.
FreddieW
abfab, my partner says I was born 80. So yes, I’ve always been old, but without the drawbacks yet of actually being 80. My dad is 80. I wouldn’t vote for him for President, though I think he could still beat Biden in a cognitive test.
dbmcvey
There’s old and then there’s feeble.
Startrax99
FreddieW- they’re coming for our rights next. Republicans do NOT like us, at ALL. Are you not paying attention? They are going after our most vulnerable and if we don’t fight back, and they “win” on them, WE are next.
But, turn a blind eye, and enjoy your rose tinted view.
correctio
this is just hysterical. Republicans are already openly regretting their bans and attempted bans on abortion. the trans issue is not really helping them win elections overall. gays are more accepted in this country than ever.
you have an unhealthy fascination with being persecuted
abfab
correctio
GOP TROLL
correctio
Oh abfab, you are so silly
abfab
correctio
GOP TROLL
correctio
@abfab my working theories about you are that a) you work for Queerty; b) you take Adderall daily and have a drinking problem
abfab
correctio
GOP TROLL
DBMC
correctio, The base of the party do not regret what they have done to Roe, and in fact are trying to pass state level bans. They will come after Obergefell with the old “this should be decided by the states” myth. Republicans will make our lives chaotic at best. illegal (or nonexistent) at worst.
correctio
@DBMC Democrats had decades to codify Roe into a more unshakeable form of law but they didn’t, for various reasons. The fact that you see Republican attacks on our freedom as inevitable, just shows that in your heart of hearts you know the Dems aren’t going to protect us with their moderation and inability to get things done
DBMC
@correctio
Saying the Dems need to protect us is admitting that the Republicans are working to overturn Obergefell just as they did with Roe.
correctio
@DBMC i’ll grant you that point. one thing I am pleased about w/ Biden admin is the Repect for Marriage Act
DBMC
@corr…
So, you are admitting the Republican party IS seeking to overturn Obergefell and won’t stop after the trans laws so voting for Republicans is a danger for LGBT people.
correctio
I have never said on here that people should vote for Republicans. People should vote for left-wing Democrats imo. I think sure, REps will try to overturn Obergefell but if they succeed, it will be unpopular, and Dems will find a way to re-legalize gay marriage. most people in American are pro-LGB if not the T. the country’s in bad shape but not in the same way as 100 years ago or even in the 80s. I don’t think it’s helpful to imagine worse-case scenarios of gays and others being rounded up by powerful white nationalists or what have you. even with the anti-trans bills, there’s going to be major, powerful states where kids and adults can get gender-whatever surgery, hormone blockers, etc.
dbmcvey
Don’t give them the chance to overturn Obergefell. Even if the Democrat candidate is 92 he is still better than any of the Republicans and if you don’t vote for him the Republicans will win and we will lose.
Cam
Republican politicians seem to be willfully blind.
They want to run to be president against Trump, but they won’t attack him, and they won’t disagree with him on anything. So voters have zero reason to pick them. If they like Trump’s policies they’ll vote for him, if they don’t like them, people like Nikki give them no alternative.
Creamsicle
It’s a political campaign donation grift. Haley will be able to give cushy roles and meaningful titles to members of her campaign staff, including close associations and relatives to pad their CVs and cultivate her political influence over the next decade.
correctio
most of our politics — on both sides of the aisle — has turned into campaign donation grifts. Remember Jamie Harrison? His campaign for Senate in 2020, which had absolutely no chance of winning, raised over $109 million dollars. Where do you think that money went? Cycled back into the horribly ineffective yet also outrageous grift machine
same with Amy McGrath, whose campaign spent more than $90 million on what was, of course, a losing effort.
Instead of actually supporting popular policies, Dems fail to learn from their mistakes because too many grifters are making too much money. As a result, the country suffers from a party that is straight-up evil (Republicans) and a party that has to rely on increasingly stupid culture war stuff to paper over the fact that it will not go after the root causes of the problems
abfab
correctio
GOP TROLL
DBMC
correctio, who do you mean when you say “our”?
correctio
@DBMC how else do you justify spending $200 mill on campaigns that had no chance? that money doesn’t just disappear. it goes to consultants whose business it is to get more of it. why do we have to pretend this isn’t true?
DBMC
@cor…
I don’t have to justify that. Unfortunately our political system is broken and big money, naturally, has a corrupting influence but voting Republican won’t fix that. I am, and always have been, in favor of election reform but turning the government over to conservatives will not in any way bring that about.
LeBlevsez
correctio –
Why do *you* have to pretend that our current campaign finance mess wasn’t brought to us by right-wing groups like Club for Growth, Heritage Foundation, and Federalist Society. These groups fought hard for the Citizens United SCOTUS ruling. The same groups that brought us our current right-wing SCOTUS super-majority. But, sure. Go ahead and consider Republicans as rational leaders.
Creamsicle
Nikki Haley doesn’t have a snowballs chance in hell of winning the RNC nomination. I’m sure it will be a fantastic opportunity for her to build a nationwide fundraising organization, though. She’ll find plenty of new donors who she can add to her short list to hit up for campaigns funds for her future races.
There is far too little scrutiny over what happens to unused political donations after a campaign ends and settles its debts.
DBMC
Haley seems better on paper as a terrible Republican candidate than in reality. She keeps trying to hit the various social wars, but her “too old” saw also hits Trump–which she is afraid to actually do.
Fahd
I really dislike her, and I ask myself why? Is it misogyny? ethnic prejudice? I ‘ve decided no to those. I dislike her because she’s an amoral opportunist who was somehow able to con the electorate of South Carolina into making her Governor and has somehow managed to remain on the national political scene. I don’t think she has any base, so I don’t think she’s dangerous as a presidential candidate for now, but I worry, because she checks some demographic boxes that the Republicans may put her on the ticket as the VP candidate. We have enough opportunistic, amoral careerist in government already.
PoetDaddy
Nikki Haley had a prime?