What I think of Nikki Haley

I will post my perspectives on each Republican candidate as it relates to their positions, general electability, and ability to secure the nomination prior to the primary elections. These perspectives relate more towards how these candidates appeal to the general electorate more broadly with some of my own bias thrown in. Expect to see an analysis of both the Democratic and Republican candidates as the months go by. With that, I start with Nikki Haley.

On the Issues:

Foreign Policy

Nikki Haley maintains strong experience when it comes to international affairs. She is the former ambassador to the United Nations and condemned the UN Human Rights Council for accepting countries with poor human rights records (Pakistan, Saudi Arabia). Haley leans towards the more hawkish wing of the Republican party and calls for further fiscal aid to Ukraine (military and humanitarian), a tougher sanctions regime on Iran and North Korea, and limitations on our relationships with China.

She prefers using economic sanctions and military action, if necessary, to limit the influence of regimes that are contrary to US interests or initiate human rights abuses. These viewpoints place her in contrast to other Republican candidates who favor limiting aid to Ukraine and limiting our presence abroad.

What would a Haley foreign policy look like?

If Haley were elected one would expect to see maintained military spending (or a slight increase), increased involvement to limit our relationships with nations that run contrary to our interests (i.e. Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Russia, China), and renewed support for the nation of Israel and Ukraine in the form of additional weapons shipments and monetary assistance. A Haley administration may also seek to limit funding to international organizations which do not support US interests (in her view). These organizations may include the United Nations, World Bank, or International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Domestic Policy (Social Issues):

Haley finds herself at a few crossroads within a changing Republican electorate. She holds that abortion should avoid becoming a federal issue and instead should rest with states. This puts her at odds with other Republican candidates who advocate for federal abortion bans (Pence for one).

Haley does maintain that marriage should be between a man and a woman; however, she does not place this as a key policy stance. Instead, she focuses on limiting transgender participation in sports and public restrooms. These positions fall in line with many of the other Republican candidates throughout the race.

Domestic Policy (Economic Issues):

Haley has vocalized her dislike of excessive government spending under both the Biden and Trump administrations. She is on the record stating that Republicans are as much to blame for overspending as Democrats. These puts her in a position that runs contrary to many Republican voices who advocate maintaining welfare programs and maintaining government spending trends. In contrast, Haley would seek to privatize Social Security, find ways to cut excessive regulations, and cut business taxes similarly to the Trump tax cuts prior to the pandemic. She would also seek to pursue policies related to school choice and alternatives to public education.

A Haley administration would look similar to the Republican ideals of the early 2000s. A voter would expect calls to reduce government spending in areas related to welfare, regulation, and education. A voter should not expect too much effort to be directed towards social issues or ‘anti-woke’ policies. These issues are not within Haley’s wheelhouse and would not be priorities relative to China’s rise or excessive government spending.

Who Would Vote for Haley?

Haley embodies early 2000s Republicanism with few unique perspectives when it comes to abortion and international relationships. Anti-Trump Republicans may see the appeal of Haley’s conservative foreign policy, professional demeanor, and limited participation in combatting ‘liberal wokism.’ College educated voters may look to Haley as a strong choice for pursuing economic policies that cut taxes for upper middle class earners and educational policies which provide greater incentives to pursue private education.

Haley’s stance on Ukraine and China also are attractive for voters who value limiting the threats of Russia in Europe and China in the Indo-Pacific.

Who might not Vote for Haley?

In contrast, pro-Trump voters may see Haley as part of the political ‘establishment.’ Haley’s long career as the Governor of South Carolina and Ambassador to the UN may leave a bad taste for a voter who desires an outsider to fight against established norms. Additionally, pro-life voters may find Haley to be too tame for not pursuing a federal abortion ban or fighting more strongly against LGBTQ+ issues. Welfare recipients and Keynesian economists would also see Haley’s economic policies as destructive.

My Take:

There are a lot of things to admire about Nicki Haley. She seems to desire a political climate that is less bombastic and argumentative than our prior two election cycles. She also has a strong resume and a strong desire to fight against Russian and Chinese aggression. However, I do not think she can convince enough of the electorate to back her over other candidates who appeal to the current political climate. Voters are shifting towards domestic policy and solving solutions at home rather than expanding our influence abroad. Foreign policy is not the primary issue facing the American public. Instead, welfare, economic policy, and inflation are the primary concerns Americans are navigating. Haley is not doing enough to provide innovative solutions to these concerns. Therefore, Haley appeals to certain constituencies, but she will (most likely) not find enough support to push her past Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, or Ron DeSantis. It is up to you to decide whether that is good or bad.