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It is reasonable to expect South Carolina's former Gov. Nikki Haley to eventually join the Democratic Party.
She announced the suspension of her 2024 presidential campaign on Wednesday morning while speaking near Charleston, S.C. after suffering another annihilative defeat to former President Donald Trump on Super Tuesday.
During the 2024 Republican presidential primary season the only two contests she won were the District of Columbia and Vermont: contests where Democrats were permitted to vote for the Republican candidate of their choice.
Trump earlier this year set Republican primary margin of victory records in the Iowa caucuses. He won more than a dozen states on Super Tuesday alone. He'd won a landslide victory in Haley's own South Carolina.
The fact that she received more support from the Democratic Party than from Republicans gives credence to Michael Goodwin's report that many Trump supporters call her a RINO — a Republican in name only.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and former 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy advised Haley to suspend her campaign almost six weeks ago.
If Haley's decision to keep campaigning until Super Tuesday was a strategy to help her become Trump's running mate in the general election, then the plan did not work.
History has shown that two Republic candidates who were cantankerous opponents during the primary campaigns can reconcile and become running mates. Former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush did it.
It seems less likely to happen for Haley and Trump in 2024.
During her concession speech she congratulated him, wished him well but added the caveat that she would wish anyone well who would be America's president.
"I have always been a Conservative Republican. And always supported the Republican nominee," Haley asserted.
Unlike the other candidates who suspended their 2024 campaigns to support Trump's, at the time of this writing Haley has not said publicly whether or not she would support his attempt to regain the Oval Office.
She served as his UN ambassador from Jan. 27, 2017 - Oct. 9, 2018.
Haley highlighted traditional Conservative talking points including small debt, small government, term limits and capitalism.
"The road to socialism is the road to ruin for America," she declared, almost echoing Trump's sentiment.
She quoted a legendary conservative favorite: Margaret Thatcher, the late Prime Minister of the UK.
"Never just follow the crowd. Always just make up your own mind," Haley said citing Thatcher's remarks before stating that it was up to Trump to earn the voters who did not support him. "And I hope he does that," Haley added.
"Just last week my mother, a first-generation immigrant got to vote for her daughter for president. Only in America," she said beaming. "I am filled with the gratitude for the outpouring of support we've received from all across our great country. But the time has now come to suspend my campaign ... I have no regrets."
Haley paraphrased Joshua 1:9 from the Holy Bible to admirably exhort all Americans, especially the women and girls who supported her campaign.
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged, for God will be with you wherever you go."
Both Trump and President Joe Biden welcomed her supporters to join their respective campaigns.
"I sought the honor of being your president. But in our great country, being a private citizen is privilege enough in itself. And that's a privilege I very much look forward to enjoying," Haley said in closing.
It is not clear whether or not she will continue her political career as a Republican, including another run for the White House, or if she will forever remain in the private sector.
If she runs for office in the future then she could very well be an official member of the Democratic Party.
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Reginald Spann is the Publisher and Senior Content Editor of both The Christian Commander and Seven Angels Sentinel. He has been writing and editing professionally for over 20 years and is the author of the book: The Healing of a Nation.
A graduate of the University of Missouri - ST. Louis' school of psychology (BA) with a minor in communications, he is a freelance journalist who is available for editing and writing about a variety of content including sports, religion, politics, entertainment and pop culture.
You may contact him through our partnership page at christiancommander.com.
No way. She has another plan