Now that Nikki Haley has pulled out of the 2024 race, the pundits are analyzing whether she should've ever run in the first place. According to the editorial board at the Wall Street Journal, the answer seems to be a solid "yes." In an op-ed looking back at what the erstwhile South Carolina governor accomplished during a run that eventually came down to her and former President Trump, the editors note that, at the very least, Haley and her campaign team "did a public service by reminding voters that the Republican Party isn't a MAGA monolith." The board praises Haley's "genuine charisma," stage presence during debates, and willingness to go hard on Trump, where most of the pair's other GOP rivals on the campaign trail wouldn't do so.
That aggressiveness—and the fact that Haley refused to endorse Trump (yet) when she announced she was dropping out of the race—may keep Haley off of Trump's short list for running mate. Even if she were asked to be his VP, however, the Journal notes Haley would be a "hostage" of sorts to another Trump administration, which could affect her own possible run in the future. Where Haley went wrong this time around, note the editors, is "not having a cause, or a vision, that was able to rally more Americans away" from Trump—and that's something they think she should keep in mind should she decide to try for the Oval Office in 2028 or beyond. As for this coming election: "The polls suggest Ms. Haley would give GOP voters the potential for a 2024 landslide, but they have decided to gamble on a third Trump nomination. They can't say Ms. Haley didn't warn them." Read the piece in full here. (More Nikki Haley 2024 stories.)