"‘Trump Comeback Possible?’ Haley's US Republican Primary Strategy"

Chasing with Discipline Instead of Provocative Attacks
Breaking Away from Traditional Strategies Targeting Weaknesses

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley's election strategy is drawing attention as she chases former President Donald Trump in the US Republican primary race.

The New York Times (NYT) highlighted on the 27th (local time) Haley's cautious election strategy amid her rising approval ratings. The former ambassador has emerged as a contender who will challenge Trump with an approach that encompasses the entire Republican electorate rather than targeting specific groups.

Jim Merrill, a Republican strategist who previously worked on the presidential campaigns of Senators Marco Rubio and Mitt Romney, summarized Haley's campaign strategy with the word "discipline," saying, "Former Ambassador Haley has run an extremely disciplined campaign."

During the campaign, Haley has not been asked many questions by reporters, and analyses suggest that her responses rarely deviate from a consistent message.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The NYT reported that Haley is particularly taking a "tightrope walk" stance regarding former President Trump, who holds 50-60% support nationwide within the party. Haley said, "The anti-Trump camp says I don't hate him enough," and "Trump supporters say I don't like him enough."

This strategy does not align with the traditional approach of exploiting opponents' weaknesses to gain an advantage in elections, and there is debate over whether it is appropriate given Trump's overwhelming lead. Currently, Trump faces numerous charges, including attempts to overturn the election defeat, leaking national secrets, and hush money related to sexual misconduct scandals, causing him significant legal risks.

Adolphus Belk, a political science professor at Winthrop University in the US, pointed out, "Many candidates are competing against Trump without directly confronting him," adding, "If you want to become the US president, it is inevitable to face the frontrunner."

Haley appears to be sticking to the strategy that has driven her rising support. She criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on budget and environmental policies. Regarding Trump, she referenced recent aggressive ads from the Trump campaign targeting her, using them to boost her own profile.

On whether Trump poses a threat to democracy or whether he should be a presidential candidate even if convicted in criminal cases, she gave an ambiguous stance, saying, "He was the right president at the right time. But whether right or wrong, chaos followed him."

This subtle attitude is analyzed as ultimately aimed at attracting Trump's supporters to her side. According to NYT and Siena College polls, Haley received 28% support among white voters with a college degree or higher, but only 3% support from white voters with a high school education or less. The latter group forms Trump's solid support base.