Nikki Haley is focused on campaigning in New Hampshire ahead of its first-in-the-nation primary next week. While she may have come in third in the Iowa caucuses, her attention is on only one rival: Donald J. Trump.
Ms. Haley, a former South Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under Mr. Trump, has begun refining her attack on the former president. She has launched a new attack ad and announced that she would no longer participate in primary debates that don’t include him.
She has criticized Mr. Trump and President Biden as politicians past their prime who are unable to put forth a vision for the country’s future and are “consumed by the past, by investigations, by grievances.”
However, she clarified that she would not attack him personally in a CNN interview, stating that she just discusses policy. She also notes that she has not ruled out running as his vice president and does not talk about his criminal charges.
While Ms. Haley competes heavily in New Hampshire, Mr. Trump continues to hold leads in both states and his hold on Republican voters is overwhelming. His campaign has been attacking Ms. Haley, sharing emails with negative subject lines about her and attacking her track record as governor.
Despite this, Ms. Haley has remained composed in her responses to Mr. Trump’s attacks and continues to work towards securing enough support in Iowa and New Hampshire to put her in a position to compete with Mr. Trump in South Carolina.
Democrats have been hitting Ms. Haley as well, pointing to her conservative policies as a sign that she is part of the same controversial Republican wave as Mr. Trump.
Neil Vigdor contributed reporting from Bretton Woods, N.H.
