Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley announced this week that she does not intend to run for president in 2028, four years after an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination. Nikki Haley reiterated that decision in an interview with CNBC this week.
Haley told CNBC that Republicans need to “hear the signs” after the party suffered major losses in last week’s midterm elections.
“I am not running in 2028, but I will continue to talk about the things that I care about,” Haley said in an interview with CNBC. “I will continue to push good policy. I will continue to support good candidates, and we want a strong America.”
She added she does not have a favored candidate for 2028, saying the Democrats have a "talented" slate of candidates.
RELATED STORY | Democrats are most excited to support three candidates for 2028
Haley’s 2024 campaign struggled to gain traction as Donald Trump secured the GOP nomination for a third consecutive presidential election. Although Haley served in the Donald Trump administration as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, she became a prominent critic of him during the campaign.
Although Haley struggled to win over the party’s conservative base, she attracted support from some moderate Republicans, including Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins.
While many initially expected Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to emerge as Donald Trump’s strongest challenger in 2024, Haley ultimately mounted the most sustained opposition to him. She finished second in the New Hampshire primary and went on to win Vermont’s primary. Still, her 97 delegates were a fraction of the more than 2,000 Donald Trump accumulated during the primary campaign.
With Haley ruling out a 2028 bid, several other prominent Republicans have yet to fully address their plans. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are among the names being discussed as potential candidates, though neither has formally entered the race.
RELATED STORY | Kamala Harris returns to campaign trail as 2028 speculation grows
