Will Nikki Haley Become the GOP’s Trump Alternative?

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley’s rising poll numbers have drawn media speculation over whether she could successfully turn the crowded GOP primary into a one-on-one.

‘Emerging with a strong hand’: An analysis in the Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) said the likely nominee “looks to be Trump. But the secondary race is important, too, given Trump's legal situation and the always-there possibility that something weird could happen in a very unusual Republican campaign. In that event, the winner of the secondary race could become the Republican nominee. And at the moment, Haley is coming on strong.”

‘The invisible primary’: An analysis from the Brookings Institution (Center bias) said momentum was key in America’s monthslong presidential primaries, adding, “If Haley’s invisible primary momentum increases in the next eight weeks and she has an unexpectedly strong showing in Iowa, it could propel her into a close second with Trump in New Hampshire.”

‘A distant second place’: A Washington Post (Lean Left bias) analysis said Haley faced “significant challenges,” including that “Her pitch to move on from Trump is out of step in a party where he is largely beloved.”