WASHINGTON: Indian-origin Nikki Haley was the lone candidate opposing Donald Trump in the Republican race for the presidential nomination after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis withdrew from the contest.
DeSantis withdrew and announced his endorsement for Trump on Sunday, days before New Hampshire primary on Tuesday. Another aspirant, Vivek Ramaswamy, had withdrawn after the first Republican caucuses in Iowa on January 15 where he finished fourth and last.
Ramaswamy, despite being a critic of Trump like DeSantis, has also endorsed Trump’s candidature and promised to join him on stage at the New Hampshire primary.
DeSantis had stood second at the Iowa caucuses while Haley narrowly behind at the third position.
Former US Ambassador to the UN, Haley, wished DeSantis well and noted that the Republican presidential primary is now between just her and Trump. DeSantis said following the second-place finish in Iowa, his camp had deliberated and came to the conclusion that “we don’t have a clear path to victory” and described Trump as “superior” to the United States’ President Joe Biden.
DeSantis called Haley as the candidate of the globalists and Democrats. “From higher taxes to decimating social security and medicare, and to open borders, she represents the views of Democrats more than the views of Republicans,” he charged.