Retail politics: Nikki Haley hopes personal touch delivers in early primary states

As one of the Republican candidates vying for the 2024 presidency, Nikki Haley endeavors to distinguish herself from the competition by prioritizing personal connections to voters in early primary states.

Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations and former governor of South Carolina, has attended local events in crucial primary states, emphasizing exposure to voters face-to-face.

Ken Farnaso, Haley’s spokesman, stated in a press release to the Washington Examiner, “Nikki Haley is spending as much time as possible in the early primary states talking to Americans, taking their questions, and earning their votes.”

“We’ve already held 19 events in Iowa and New Hampshire and will be doing another rally in South Carolina tonight,” Farnaso explained. “Nikki doesn’t take any vote for granted and knows that the only way to win is to show up.”

Haley’s rally is to be held Thursday evening in Lexington County, South Carolina, followed by a visit to northwest Iowa to campaign alongside Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA).

This week, she also made a trip to the Southern border, where she laid out her presidential plan to secure the border, proposing a partnership between businesses and immigration law to base quotas on merit and stimulate South Carolinian economy.

Additionally, Haley boasts a $11 million fundraising haul since her campaign launch in Feb.15, with 67,000 of each contribution made $200 or less.

Regardless, Haley is polling at only 4% in a potential 2024 Republican primary, in stark contrast to former President Donald Trump’s 55% according to Morning Consult. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) tops with 26%, and former Vice President Mike Pence receives 7%, neither of the two having a campaign announcement.

In early 2015, front-runners in a hypothetical GOP primary were former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Trump hadn’t announced his candidacy until that summer.