SC’s Nikki Haley expected to have a target on her back in next GOP debate. Here’s why
As seven Republican White House hopefuls face off for their second presidential debate, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is expected to find herself in the crosshairs of her fellow candidates.
Expect Haley to be a target in the Wednesday night debate, potentially along with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Haley, who had 8 minutes and 20 seconds of speaking time in last month’s debate, was praised for her fiery debate performance and has climbed in the polls in the weeks since.
“I think she was the one who beat expectations in the last debate. She had a few very good moments in that one,” said Miles Coleman, the associate editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.
Haley will be joined on stage by North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, Ramaswamy and South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott.
Former President Donald Trump, who leads in the polls and meets the contributions thresholds to be on the stage, will skip the debate and will speak to Michigan autoworkers instead.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who was the first debate stage, failed to qualify for the second debate.
Haley’s standing in polls in early primary states, where candidates have focused most of their attention, has increased.
Two recent South Carolina polls put Haley solidly in second place in her home state, behind Trump. She garnered 18% in the state in both the Washington Post/Monmouth University Poll and a Fox Business Poll. Trump led both polls with 46%. DeSantis and Scott were statistically tied in both polls for third place.
Haley also saw her standing in the most recent Fox Business Poll of Iowa voters to 11% from 5%.
Recent New Hampshire polling has Haley running in second place in the Granite State, which holds the First in the Nation primary. Haley has focused much of her time doing the retail politics, holding numerous events in both New Hampshire and Iowa.
Haley, in an interview Friday on Fox Business, touted how she has prepared for Wednesday’s debate by taking questions at town halls in early primary states.
“The town halls where we let them ask any question. We stay there, we shake every hand. I’m the last person to leave. That’s the best debate prep you can get, because they pepper you with questions all the time, and you get to listen to what they care about, and I get to give them the solutions I want to put forward,” Haley said.
If Haley does become a target of other candidates, she will have to show she has the ability to punch back, a skill she showed as governor and as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
She’s displayed a similar style to the scrappy combativeness the late U.S. Sen. John McCain had as he won the GOP nomination for president in 2008.
“I think that type of attitude, if Haley could have a bit more of those moments, I think she may get more of a look from potential voters as well,” Coleman said.
South Carolina’s other presidential candidate, Scott, will have to find a way to gain more attention on the stage this time around.
Scott seemed to disappear into the background during the first debate, as sniping broke out among other candidates. Scott had 7 minutes and 57 seconds of speaking time in the first debate, less than a number of other candidates that night.
Scott, who has a signature optimistic tone, has signaled he’ll keep the same approach.
“Well, I think you’ll see the same optimistic, positive approach to debating, and I certainly hope that we have a chance to contrast on some of the issues, and not have a food fight,” Scott said during an interview with Hugh Hewitt. “It is time for us to showcase to America why this nation can do for anyone what she’s done for me. But if we’re going to have a food fight, someone has to bring us back to the issues that are germane to the American people, and not a food fight talking about things that don’t matter to the voters. I will be the person that will create the contrast and the focus on what people care about, not politicians, but the American people, our bosses.”
How to watch
What: Second Republican presidential debate
When: Wednesday, 9 to 11 p.m.
Where: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California
How to tune in: The debate is being hosted by Fox Business Network on cable. It will be simulcast on Fox News and Univision and streamed on Fox Nation, Rumble and UnivisionNoticias.com.
This story was originally published September 27, 2023 at 5:30 AM.
