Nikki Haley on Sunday declined to say she would support Donald Trump in the coming presidential election if he won the Republican party’s nomination to face Joe Biden in the race for the White House.
The former South Carolina governor is the last serious opposition to Trump who seems almost certain to become the nominee, despite a raft of legal problems and the multiple trials he faces linked to his businesses, attempts to subvert American democracy and alleged hush-money payoffs to former lovers.
Trump has swept the Republican contest so far and maintains a dominant lead across the country ahead of Super Tuesday.
Earlier in the race all Republican candidates were required by the Republican National Committee to pledge loyalty to the winning eventual candidate as a requirement to taking part in the party’s televised debates – which Trump himself refused to participate in.
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press show on Sunday Haley acknowledged making the pledge of loyalty but said she did not feel bound by it any more. In recent weeks the RNC has been hit by turmoil and a change in leadership to make it more pro-Trump.
“The RNC is now not the same RNC,” Haley said.
When asked directly on the show if she would endorse Trump were she not to be the nominee Haley did not answer but instead insisted that she has “serious concerns about Donald Trump. I have even more concerns about Joe Biden.”
Haley’s ailing attempt to stop Trump securing the Republican presidential nomination got a recent vital boost with the endorsement of two senior senators who have given the former South Republican governor their backing ahead of Super Tuesday’s crucial contests.
The Republican senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine have both now endorsed Haley’s bid.
“America needs someone with the right values, vigor, and judgment to serve as our next president – and in this race, there is no one better than her [Haley’],” Murkowski said in a statement.
She added: “Nikki will be a strong leader and uphold the ideals of the Republican party while serving as a President for all Americans.”
Meanwhile, Collins told the Bangor News that she had voted for Haley in the Maine primary, saying Hayley was “extremely well-qualified” to be the first female president.
“She has the energy, intellect, and temperament that we need to lead our country in these very tumultuous times,” Collins said in a statement to the outlet.
Collins and Murkowski are now part of a very small group of Republican lawmakers to have spurned Trump in favor of Haley. Trump’s grip on the wider Republican party remains firm as he consolidates his overwhelming lead in the race and he has already mostly focused his campaign targeting president Joe Biden.
