First Senator Endorses Haley, Days Before Super Tuesday

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski announces she is endorsing the former South Carolina governor ahead of the crucial Super Tuesday primaries.
First Senator Endorses Haley, Days Before Super Tuesday
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) speaks during a hearing to review the president’s fiscal year 2024 budget request for the National Guard and Reserve in Washington on June 1, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)
Austin Alonzo
3/1/2024
Updated:
3/1/2024
0:00

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is endorsing Nikki Haley for president.

On March 1, ahead of the Super Tuesday voting in 15 states, including The Last Frontier, Ms. Murkowski formally endorsed the former  U.N. Ambassador. It’s Ms. Haley’s first endorsement in the Senate.

In a release, Ms. Murkowski said the country needs “someone with the right values, vigor, and judgment” to serve as the next president.

“In this race, there is no one better than her,” Ms. Murkowksi said. “Nikki will be a strong leader and uphold the ideals of the Republican Party while serving as a president for all Americans.”

In her statement, Ms. Haley said Ms. Murkowski represents the “best of Alaska.”

“She is a trailblazer and a strong, independent voice who doesn’t bow down to the powers that be in Washington,” Ms. Haley said. “As president, I will fight to make Alaskans—and all Americans—proud by restoring fiscal sanity, energy dominance, and limited government.”

Ms. Haley heads into Super Tuesday and the March 2 caucuses in Michigan, Missouri, and Idaho, running far behind former President Donald Trump, who has won nearly every contest held in 2024. The only time he didn’t win, in Nevada, was when his name was not on the ballot. Ms. Haley still didn’t prevail, with the Silver State’s voters picking “None of These Candidates” rather than the former South Carolina governor.

Most of the Republican membership of the upper house is standing behind President Trump, including Ms. Murkowski’s colleague Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska). In the House, only Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) has endorsed Ms. Haley.

Ms. Murkowski, who’s served in the Senate since 2002, is considered one of the most moderate members of her party and is often a swing voter.

In spite of her poor returns at the ballot box, Ms. Haley has vowed to continue her run. She has also said she will stay in the race at least through the March 5 Super Tuesday primary, when 15 states vote. The Epoch Times previously reported if Ms. Haley doesn’t start winning primaries soon, she will not be able to secure the necessary delegates to win the nomination at the Republican National Convention in July.

Ms. Haley is also successfully raising money to finance her campaign. On March 1, the campaign announced it had raised $12 million in February through “three of her campaign committees.”

In January, according to the limited picture presented by Federal Election Commission filings, Ms. Haley outraised President Trump. She continues to benefit from donors who oppose the former president.

In a statement, Olivia Perez-Cubas, a spokeswoman for Nikki Haley for President, said the fundraising haul from grassroots donors shows many Republicans still reject President Trump.

“A substantial portion of Republicans ... are rallying around Nikki Haley’s conservative message, sending small-dollar contributions with handwritten messages, and showing up in droves as she travels across the Super Tuesday states,“ Ms. Perez-Cubas said in a statement. ”Like Nikki, they believe America is worth fighting for.”

Austin Alonzo covers U.S. political and national news for The Epoch Times. He has covered local, business and agricultural news in Kansas City, Missouri, since 2012. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri. You can reach Austin via email at [email protected]
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