Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich slammed presidential candidate Nikki Haley for continuing to “alienate” fellow Republicans by staying in the race after she lost decisively to former President Donald Trump in the Michigan primary Tuesday.
Fox News host Sean Hannity questioned Mr. Gingrich after the Michigan primary about whether he thought Ms. Haley was “forcing” Mr. Trump to spend more campaign money the longer she stayed in the primary race as Mr. Trump’s last significant rival.
“Well, first of all, I don’t think she is going to force President Trump to spend anything because he’s going to beat her in every single primary in the country. That’s just going to happen,” Mr. Gingrich said.
“Second, the longer she stays in, the more she will alienate Republicans,” he added. “This theory that she’s hanging around in case something happens to Trump, so she can then be the choice — no MAGA Republican, no Trump delegate is ever going to pick Nikki Haley. They will pick any of the dozen or 50 Republicans who are acceptable, but they aren’t going to pick her.”
Mr. Trump beat the former South Carolina governor and ex-U.N. ambassador by over 40 points in Michigan. He defeated her previously in nominating contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.
“And you saw that in Nevada, where she lost by 2-to-1 to ‘None of these candidates,’” Mr. Gingrich said on Fox. “When ‘None of these candidates’ beats you by 2-to-1, there’s a hint that maybe you’re in the wrong game this year. I hope she’ll drop out.”
He said Ms. Haley should shift her focus to helping Republicans win the White House over President Biden in November.
“As far as I’m concerned, Donald Trump tonight is the Republican nominee,” he said. “This is over, and the issue is to focus on the general election, and why Trump would be a dramatically better president in 2025 than Joe Biden.”
Ms. Haley has said she would be staying in the race until Super Tuesday on March 5.
After Tuesday’s loss, Haley campaign spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas argued that both of the GOP candidates left on the ballot have not seen the numbers they hoped.
“Joe Biden is losing about 20% of the Democratic vote today, and many say it’s a sign of his weakness in November. Donald Trump is losing about 35 % of the [Republican] vote,” she noted. “That’s a flashing warning sign for Trump in November.”
“Since Trump became president in 2016, he lost Michigan Republicans the state House, state Senate, and governor’s mansion. What was once a beacon for the conservative cause, the Michigan Republican Party, is now fractured and divided,” Ms. Perez-Cubas said.
“… So long as Donald Trump is at the top of the ticket, Republicans will keep losing to the socialist left. Our children deserve better.”
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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