In the aftermath of former President Donald Trump’s resounding victory in Iowa, Rep. Elise Stefanik has thrown down the gauntlet, calling on Haley and DeSantis to exit the race and rally behind Trump.
Stefanik contends that with Trump’s formidable lead, no other contender stands a chance, emphasizing that unity is the key to securing a defeat for President Biden in the 2024 election.
Making her stance clear on X, Stefanik declared, “I am calling on every other candidate — all of whom have no chance to win — to drop out so we can unify and immediately rally behind President Trump.”
Haley and DeSantis: No chance?
Trump’s dominance in Iowa saw him secure approximately 51 percent of the vote, leaving rival candidates Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley trailing with 21 percent and 19 percent, respectively.
Biotechnology entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson promptly exited the GOP race following the revealing results.
“Mr. DeSantis faces no clear path to the nomination. He’s well behind Ms. Haley in New Hampshire and South Carolina,” the editorial board argued. “If he believes, as he says, that Mr. Trump can’t win in November, he should leave the race and give Ms. Haley a chance to take on Mr. Trump one on one.”
Both Haley and DeSantis have positioned themselves as viable alternatives to Trump, often framing the former president as a figure from a bygone era.
Haley, in particular, has demonstrated strength in New Hampshire polling, where the next GOP primary is slated for Jan. 23.
Despite trailing Trump by approximately 8 percentage points in Granite State polls, Haley and DeSantis remain neck to neck in national polls.
The battle for the GOP nomination intensifies as the contenders grapple for the spotlight and voters attention in the evolving political landscape.
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