Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is leaning into her push for a new generation of political leaders in the third ad of her GOP presidential campaign.
The 30-second ad, released Monday, targets President Biden, who is 81, and says Capitol Hill is full of senior citizens who aren’t up to the job.
“I’ll just say it. Biden’s too old, and Congress is the most exclusive nursing home in America,” Ms. Haley says. “Washington keeps failing because politicians from yesterday can’t lead us into tomorrow.”
The former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. is trying to seize momentum with less than a month before primary voters have their say in the Iowa caucuses.
A recent CBS News/YouGov poll showed Ms. Haley consolidating support among New Hampshire voters who want an alternative to former President Donald Trump. She attracted 29% of the primary vote in the Granite State, though Mr. Trump still dominates with 44%.
Mr. Trump is leading Ms. Haley and his other closest rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, by about 50 points in poll averages of the overall primary.
Ms. Haley’s frequent references to generational change are an implicit rebuke of Mr. Trump, who is 77, though she doesn’t mention him by name in the new ad.
“We need term limits, mental competency tests, and a real plan to defeat China and restore our economy,” Ms. Haley says in the new ad. “We have to leave behind the chaos and drama of the past with a new generation and a new conservative president.”
It’s unclear if Ms. Haley can gather enough momentum to chip away at Mr. Trump’s lead before Iowa voters have their say on Jan. 15 and New Hampshire weighs in on Jan. 23.
Ms. Haley and Mr. DeSantis plan to attend a CNN debate in Des Moines several days before the Iowa caucuses and have dared Mr. Trump to show up on the debate stage — something he has declined to do so far.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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