Nikki Haley: Prospect of a Kamala Harris presidency should 'send a chill up every American's spine'
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley discusses her debate performance, the importance of Republicans acknowledging the abortion issue and the importance of winning in 2024.
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley blasted the prospect of Vice President Kamala Harris becoming commander in chief if Democrats walk away with a win in 2024, warning Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo on Sunday that the notion should "send a chill up every American's spine."
The former South Carolina governor, in her appearance, cautioned against electing former President Donald Trump, who faces multiple indictments and looks at a series of lengthy and distracting legal battles.
"Donald Trump is a friend of mine. It was an honor to serve in the administration and work on foreign policy with him, and I agree with a lot of his policies. But the fact is, I don't know if it's four or five or six or how many indictments it is now, but he's going to spend a lot of time in a courtroom and not on a campaign trail," she said.
NIKKI HALEY MAKES CASE FOR WHY SHE THINKS TRUMP CAN'T WIN 2024 ELECTION
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks to guests at Ashley's BBQ Bash, hosted by Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson, on Aug. 6, 2023, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
"My concern is we cannot have Kamala Harris as president. We can't chance this. We have to make sure that we have a new generational leader that's going to bring in not only Republicans, but we're going to pull back the independents. We're going to bring back in the suburban women, we're going to bring in Hispanics. We're going to bring in the Asian community. We have to make sure we win this, because the thought of Kamala Harris being president should send a chill up every American spine."
Haley, one of eight Republicans who appeared on the debate stage in Milwaukee last Wednesday, previously cautioned against re-electing Trump, despite previously serving in his administration.
She told Fox News' Sean Hannity after the debate that a weaponized justice system is behind Trump's legal woes, and a win for Republicans is crucial to fix the problem.
NIKKI HALEY TOUTS FOREIGN POLICY EXPERIENCE, UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ‘REAL NATIONAL SECURITY IS’
Haley warned against the idea that Vice President Kamala Harris could become commander in chief if Democrats win in 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
"You can't clean up Washington if Donald Trump is fighting issues of the past. We need a young generational conservative that's going to go and clean up what they've done to Donald Trump but also carry our country forward," she told Hannity.
NIKKI HALEY COMES OUT SWINGING AT OTHER GOP CANDIDATES FOR APPROVING BIG SPENDING
A recent Fox News poll showed that 53% of likely voters preferred Trump out of the GOP field, still maintaining a commanding 37-point lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Haley ranked fifth out of the field, but she insists the race is far from over.
"It's actually just getting started," she told Bartiromo Sunday. "And so we've done 80 events and New Hampshire and Iowa. We're going to keep being there. We're doing events in South Carolina all this week. We're going to keep focusing on touching as many hands as we can, answering every question."
Haley emerged as one of the most prominent voices on abortion after Wednesday's debate where she called for a "consensus" on the issue.
On Sunday, she continued to press that Republicans should "humanize" the issue and tackle it head-on instead of running away.
"[Republicans need to] acknowledge that the issue is real. You know, I think that I have always said I am unapologetically pro-life, not because the Republican Party tells me to be, but because my husband was adopted. I had trouble having both of my children, so I am surrounded by blessings…"
"When we're talking about a federal law, you know, it's just frustrating that no one was telling the American people the truth, that you have to have a majority of the House, that you have to have 60 Senate votes to pass a federal bill," Haley added. "And so no Republican president can ban abortions any more than a Democrat president can ban those state laws. So if we really do want to save as many babies as possible, if we do want to support as many moms as possible, then let's find consensus on where we can do that."
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