Nikki Haley on Saturday is kicking off a “Beast of the Southeast” bus tour in South Carolina that will make dozens of campaign stops ahead of the state’s GOP presidential primary.
The former South Carolina governor is banking on some home-cooking in the contest after watching former President Donald Trump rattled off big wins in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Ms. Haley also suffered an embarrassing defeat to “None of the Above” in the Nevada primary and Mr. Trump is poised on Thursday to win the Nevada caucuses — padding his lead in the race and reinforcing the sense he is an unstoppable force.
Ms. Haley has been trying to goad Mr. Trump into debating her and has criticized him for being missing in action on the campaign trail in South Carolina.
But when she launches her bus tour on Saturday, she will be competing with Mr. Trump for the attention of voters. Mr. Trump is slated to appear at a get-out-the-vote rally in Conway, South Carolina, that afternoon.
Mr. Trump has dominated Ms. Haley among GOP voters in the opening nomination contests.
Ms. Haley, nonetheless, says she plans on sticking in the race at least through the 16 Super Tuesday contests on March 5.
She has scheduled more than 30 stops on her bus tour where she is looking to turn out a coalition of anti-Trump Republicans who don’t typically participate in primaries and independents.
“Under Governor Nikki Haley, South Carolina became an economic powerhouse, earning the nickname ‘The Beast of the Southeast,’” Haley spokesperson Brittany Yanick said in a press release. “The Beast of the Southeast bus tour is a testament to Nikki’s hard work and firm belief that every vote must be earned.”
“While Donald Trump uses his campaign as a personal legal defense slush fund, Nikki is fighting to save our country and put Americans first,” she said.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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