Republicans try to stop Haley’s rise in the 4th primary debate

A former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley showed that the rise in polls and the growing donations from billionaires to her campaign are worrying her rivals in the race for the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential elections, having been the businessman’s main target Vivek Ramaswamy and Florida governor Ron DeSantis – whom he is about to overtake in voter intention polls, although still far behind Trump.

Vivek Ramaswamy suggested that the former ambassador was too close to corporate interests and DeSantis accused her of allowing Chinese investment in South Carolina when she was governor.

Ramaswamy went further and accused Haley of being “more fascist” than Joe Biden’s government and assessed that her skills and experience in foreign policy and national security were exaggerated.

Haley praised his career dedicated to public service and argued that opponents “are jealous” of the donations that his electoral campaign has received.

“I love all the attention, guys, thank you for that,” Haley said after nonstop attacks in a tense debate, with just four candidates on stage.

Nikki Haley came under attack from her rivals early in the latest Republican presidential debate, a sign of her momentum — though she’s still far behind Donald Trump. She relished the moment. Watch the video of the exchange, courtesy of #NewsNation. https://t.co/kozQDi4VpZ pic.twitter.com/g8rmy4au5q

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 7, 2023

The harshness of the biotechnology entrepreneur’s words against Haley was immediately rebuked by another of the conservative candidates present at the event, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie.

“This is an intelligent, accomplished woman and you should stop insulting her,” Christie defended, calling the businessman “the nastiest braggart in America.”

In addition to distinguishing himself by defending Haley, the former governor was the candidate who most directly and harshly criticized Donald Trmp, whom he accused of “not having the courage” to appear in the debate.

“The truth is that Trump is not fit to be President,” said Christie, adding that “there is no bigger problem in this race than Donald Trump, and these numbers are proof of that,” he said, referring to the polls, which the tycoon leads.

Christie also blamed his Republican Party colleagues for contributing to Trump’s popularity, as they “don’t publicly reprimand him” and “make it seem like his speech is acceptable.”

Chris Christie defends Nikki Haley against Vivek Ramaswamy.

The debate is certainly entertaining but is this debate actually changing anyone’s opinions on who might have an inkling of a chance in the Republican primary in January?

How many republicans are actually watching… pic.twitter.com/6qEGXb5lDh

— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) December 7, 2023

“The truth needs to be told. Trump is a guy who just said he wants to use the Justice Department to go after his enemies when he gets there [à Presidência]. There is no bigger problem in this race than Donald Trump”, reinforced the former governor.

With the exception of Christie, the candidates spent more time in this debate – and in the previous three – attacking each other than joining forces against Trump, reflecting the view that criticizing Trump results in negative feedback, given his popularity. of the tycoon among the Republican electorate.

At a time when he faces 91 criminal charges, Trump refused to attend the debate organized by the Republican National Committee – as he chose to do in the three previous editions -, having spent the night at a fundraising event for his campaign.

When asked by the moderators whether he considers Trump unfit to return to the Presidency, Ron DeSantis was evasive in his response, despite accusing him of “not fulfilling” his campaign promises.

“I don’t think Donald Trump will have another term. (…) We need someone younger and who will keep his word. He said he would build a wall and that Mexico would pay for it. He also deported fewer illegal migrants than [o ex-Presidente] Barack Obama. (…) I supported him in 2016, but he didn’t keep his word,” said DeSantis.

Haley tried to draw a strong contrast between herself and Trump, arguing that, if she is elected President of the United States, her approach will be “without drama, without revenge and without regrets”.

Ramaswamy once again positioned himself as the candidate who would support Trump even if he were convicted of the federal crimes he faces, although he accused opponents of bowing down to the tycoon for years to secure political positions or financial gains.

The closest the 38-year-old businessman came to criticizing Trump was when he called for a new generation of leadership.

The fourth debate – after those held in Wisconsin, Florida and California – took place in the city of Tuscaloosa, in the state of Alabama, and lasted two hours.

With the field of candidates narrowing, and with just over a month left until the state of Iowa goes to polls for the Republican Party primaries on January 15, the pressure is increasing on candidates to show that they are capable of taking on Trump. in the Republican nomination.

In view of Trump’s superiority in the polls, the main North American media – including The Washington Post and The New York Times, among others – have issued strong warnings in recent days, classifying it as “dictatorship”, “drift” and ” authoritarianism” the scenario that would be experienced in the country if Trump were re-elected in next year’s presidential elections.

A similar position has been shared by Republican politicians who are openly anti-Trump, such as former Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheeney, who recently stated in a CBS interview that she would prefer Democrats to win the election to prevent the country from “sleepwalking into a dictatorship “.

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