Nikki Haley

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Nikki Haley
Haley in 2024
29th United States Ambassador to the United Nations
In office
January 24, 2017 – December 31, 2018
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded bySamantha Power
Succeeded byKelly Craft
116th Governor of South Carolina
In office
January 12, 2011 – January 24, 2017
Lieutenant
Preceded byMark Sanford
Succeeded byHenry McMaster
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from the 87th district
In office
January 11, 2005 – January 11, 2011
Preceded byLarry Koon
Succeeded byTodd Atwater
Personal details
Born
Nimrata Randhawa

(1972-01-20) January 20, 1972 (age 52)
Bamberg, South Carolina, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Michael Haley
Children2
ResidenceNew York City, New York, U.S.
EducationClemson University (BS)
WebsiteGovernment website

Nimarata Nikki Haley (née Randhawa; born January 20, 1972)[1] is an American politician. She was the 29th United States Ambassador to the United Nations beginning on January 24, 2017. She resigned on October 9, 2018 and left the office on December 31, 2018.

On January 12, 2011, she became the Governor of South Carolina and left the office in 2017 to become Ambassador. She is a member of the Republican Party. She is the first female governor of South Carolina. At the age of 42, she was the youngest governor in the United States, followed by another fellow Republican governor, Bobby Jindal.

In February 2023, Haley announced her candidacy for President of the United States in the 2024 election.

Early life[change | change source]

Haley was born at Bamberg County Memorial Hospital in Bamberg, South Carolina.[2] Her parents were Ajit Singh Randhawa and Raj Kaur Randhaw, from Punjab, India. Her father was a professor at Punjab Agricultural University. Her mother started a clothing company, Exotica International. Haley earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Clemson University. She has one sister and two brothers.

Governor of South Carolina (2011–2017)[change | change source]

On May 14, 2009, Haley announced that she would run for the Republican nomination for Governor of South Carolina in 2010.[3]

The Republican gubernatorial primary took place on June 8, 2010, and Haley captured 49% of the vote. A runoff election happened on June 22, because nobody won 50% of the vote.[4] Haley won handily in the runoff vote.[5] Haley was elected governor on November 2, 2010, over the Democratic candidate, Vincent Sheheen 51% to 47%.[6] On August 12, 2013, Haley announced she would seek a second term during a rally August 26, 2013, at the BI-LO Center in downtown Greenville.[7] Haley was re-elected on November 4, 2014, with a 55.9 percent to 41.3 percent win, almost tripling her previous margin of victory over Sheheen in 2010 gubernatorial elections.[8]

Haley supports lower taxes, opposes regulation and is extremely anti-union. In June 2015, following the Charleston church shooting, Haley led bi-partisan calls for the removal of the Confederate flag from the State Capitol and its grounds.[9] In July 2015, Haley signed a Bill to authorize removing the Confederate flag from the flagpole on the grounds of the South Carolina Capitol.[10][11]

In April 2016, Haley indicated she would not support legislation introduced by the South Carolina State Senate which would require transgender individuals to use restrooms based on biological sex instead of gender identity.

Ambassador to the United Nations (2017–2018)[change | change source]

On November 23, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Haley for Ambassador to the United Nations.[12] On January 20, 2017, President Trump sent Haley's nomination to the Senate.[13] Haley was overwhelmingly confirmed by the Senate 96-4 on January 24, 2017. Haley is the first Indian American to serve in a presidential cabinet.[14]

Her tenure focused on harsh responses to the Bashar al-Assad regime and sanctions against North Korea as tensions grew between Trump and Kim Jong-un.

Haley resigned on October 9, 2018 to return to her beloved home state. Multiple U.N. watchdogs called for an investigation over her many private jet plane travels. She was also falsely accused of overspending on $52,000 curtains which were actually purchased during the Obama Administration. She left the office on December 31, 2018.

2024 presidential campaign[change | change source]

In July 2022, Haley said that she was thinking about running for president in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.[15] On February 1, 2023, it was reported that Haley was going to announce a bid for the presidency on February 15, making her the first challenger to former President Donald Trump's campaign.[16]

On February 14, 2023, Haley officially announced her candidacy for president.[17] She is the third Indian-American politician to seek a presidential nomination after Bobby Jindal and current Vice President Kamala Harris.[18]

Haley was seen as a strong candidate for the Republican nomination.[19][20][21] In late October 2023, she was polling at about 8.3% in national Republican primary opinion polls, third to Trump and Ron DeSantis.[22] She received endorsements from two congressmen—House Freedom Caucus member Ralph Norman and former 2024 Republican presidential candidate Will Hurd.[23][24][25]

Personal life[change | change source]

In September 1996, she married Michael Haley, a South Carolina National Guard. They have two children: Rena and Nalin Haley.

References[change | change source]

  1. "Nikki Haley". Biography.com. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  2. Writer, GENE ZALESKI T&D Staff. "Jackson: Haley to blame for Bamberg's lack of hospital". The Times and Democrat. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  3. O'Conner, John (May 14, 2009). "Rep. Haley announces bid to become state's first female governor". The State. (Columbia, SC).
  4. Davenport, Jim (June 9, 2010). "Haley weathers tryst accusations in SC gov race". Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010. Also published on MSNBC.com as "Sordid S.C. governor's race heads to runoff"
  5. Davenport, Jim. "Haley's S.C. win ensures spot on national stage". Boston Globe. Associated Press. Retrieved August 13, 2013. The State in Columbia, S.C. also published an earlier version, "Republicans tap Haley for gov, make history".
  6. Evans, Jason (November 2010). "Nikki Haley to be state's first female governor". The Pickens Sentinel. Archived from the original on 2010-12-21. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  7. Larson, Leslie (August 12, 2013). "South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will run for reelection, bringing in GOP heavyweights Bobby Jindal, Rick Perry, Scott Walker and Tim Scott for formal announcement". Daily News. New York. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  8. Nikki Haley's 14-point victory gives her mandate, experts say Greenville, Garnett Publications (November 5, 2014)
  9. "Nikki Haley, South Carolina Governor, Calls for Removal of Confederate Battle Flag". NY Times.
  10. "South Carolina Confederate Flag Removal Bill - Video - C-SPAN.org". C-SPAN.org.
  11. "South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley Signs Confederate Flag Bill Into Law". NPR.org. 9 July 2015.
  12. Costa, Robert (November 23, 2016). "Gov. Nikki Haley tapped to be Trump's U.N. ambassador". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  13. "Nominations Sent to the Senate". whitehouse.gov. 2017-01-20. Archived from the original on 2017-01-21. Retrieved 2017-01-21.
  14. "Nikki Haley – great advocate of India-US relationship: Indian-Americans". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  15. Starr, Michael. "Nikki Haley hints at 2024 presidential run, promises no Iran Deal at Christian Zionist rally". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  16. Isenstadt, Alex. "Nikki Haley poised to enter 2024 presidential race". POLITICO. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  17. "Nikki Haley announces 2024 White House bid". CNN. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  18. "Nikki Haley poised to enter 2024 presidential race". BBC News. 2023-02-01. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  19. The Editorial Board (February 14, 2023). "Opinion | Nikki Haley's 'Great Day'". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  20. "Opinion | 'Nikki Haley Will Not Be the Next President': Our Columnists Weigh In". New York Times. 2023-02-15. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  21. Lizza, Ryan (February 16, 2023). "Why Nikki Haley shouldn't be counted out just yet". POLITICO. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  22. 2024 Republican Presidential Nomination, RealClearPolitics.
  23. Max Greenwood and Jared Gans, 2024 GOP primary endorsements: Where they stand, The Hill (September 5, 2023).
  24. McIntire, Mary Ellen (February 15, 2023). "Haley treads carefully seeking nomination in Trump's GOP". Roll Call. Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  25. "Will Hurd drops out of 2024 Republican presidential race and backs Nikki Haley | CNN Politics". CNN. 2023-10-09. Retrieved 2023-10-10.

Other websites[change | change source]