CHARLESTON, S.C. — After losing the South Carolina Republican Primary, Nikki Haley addressed a crowd gathered at Charleston Place Hotel. Below is her speech, released in full from Haley's press office:
Thank you so much.
I feel blessed tonight. I’ve felt blessed throughout this entire journey. Even when it’s been tough, I haven’t lost sight of that. I’ve felt God’s strength and grace every step of the way.
I’m blessed to have served the state that raised me.
I’m truly blessed that I was able to be with my mom this morning as she voted for her daughter for President of the United States.
And it’s a blessing to know that across our sweet state, everyone wants to bring back the America we know and love. That’s the underlying message in what happened today.
I want to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory.
And I want to thank the people of South Carolina for using the power of your voice. No matter the results, I love the people of our state. I love what we accomplished together. And I love how we united during our worst challenges and tragedies.
I’ve always seen our state as a family. Families are honest with each other. They say the hard truths. That’s what I’ve done this entire campaign. That’s what I’ll do now.
What I saw today was South Carolina’s frustration with our country’s direction. I’ve seen that same frustration nationwide.
I share it. I feel it to my core. I couldn’t be more worried for America. It seems like our country is coming apart.
But here’s the thing. America will come apart if we make the wrong choices.
This has never been about me or my political future.
We need to beat Joe Biden in November.
I don’t believe Donald Trump can beat Joe Biden. Nearly every day, Trump drives people away, including with his comments just yesterday.
Today, in South Carolina, we’re getting around 40% of the vote. That’s about what we got in New Hampshire too.
I’m an accountant. I know 40% is not 50%.
But I also know 40% is not some tiny group.
There are huge numbers of voters in our Republican primaries who are saying they want an alternative.
I said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina, I would continue to run for President.
I’m a woman of my word. I’m not giving up this fight when a majority of Americans disapprove of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
South Carolina has spoken. We’re the fourth state to do so. In the next ten days, another 21 states and territories will speak. They have the right to a real choice, not a Soviet-style election with only one candidate. And I have a duty to give them that choice.
We can’t afford four more years of Biden’s failures or Trump’s lack of focus.
We’re at $34 trillion in debt and counting.
Not even a third of our 8th graders are proficient in reading.
Families can’t afford groceries.
Nine million illegals have come to our border—with enough fentanyl to kill every single American.
And beyond our borders, the world is on fire. War is spreading further every day. If we aren’t strong, those wars will draw America further in.
And it’s not just about policies.
We won’t get out of our downward spiral if we keep obsessing over the past.
Does anyone seriously think Joe Biden or Donald Trump will unite our country to solve our problems?
One of them calls his fellow Americans fascists. The other calls his fellow Americans vermin. They aren’t fighting for our country’s future. They’re demanding we fight each other.
The younger generation—my children’s generation—knows it better than anyone.
They deserve better. They deserve leadership.
And so I will keep fighting—for them and for you and for all of America!
From the start of this campaign, I have made clear that I’m running for president to save America.
I’m running to remind us what it means to be American.
In the America I know and love, we believe in each other. And we believe in America’s inherent goodness.
Now is the time to renew that belief. Now is the time to remember who we are.
We’re citizens of the greatest country in human history—and we must lead now more than ever before!
I’m grateful to South Carolina. I always have been and always will be.
And I’m grateful that today is not the end of our story.
We’re headed to Michigan tomorrow. And we’re headed to the Super Tuesday states throughout all of next week.
We’ll keep fighting for America—and we won’t rest until America wins!