Democrats fight on how to deal with Nikki Haley

Democrats are complaining about the return of former President Trump to the campaign and are bracing for the unknown in the face of untested Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

But now, in the early days of the 2024 presidential cycle, the ruling party faces a new challenge: how to deal with Nikki Haley.

The former South Carolina governor’s entry into the wide open field creates an obvious contrast to Trump, whom the Republicans were hesitant to take on too soon. For Democrats, this puts them in an unfamiliar position: defending an 80-year-old Biden against a 51-year-old rival who hopes to become the first female president.

“If you haven’t figured out how to get this octogenarian off the scene, you really don’t know what you’re doing,” said Reena Shah, a Republican strategist and campaign veteran. “You don’t know how to move forward.”

Biden, of course, has faced White House opponents before, most famously his own Vice President Kamala Harris, with whom he has managed to turn a sometimes bitter rivalry into a partnership in his administration. He also competed with nearly half a dozen other female candidates.

When Biden won, it was bittersweet for many Democrats. They saw him defeat Trump, but many still wanted a woman to lead the country. They are now evaluating Haley’s attitude towards the older white man, and Republicans are also speculating about what that could mean for their own bench.

“Gender and race are now part of the calculation because there are only two people officially declared,” Shah said.

Haley says her campaign will not focus on “identity politics,” a term both parties use differently to refer to personal identifiers. But she has already made gender and age part of the front lines of her campaign.

In a statement on Wednesday, Haley said addressing global challenges “will require doing some things that we’ve never done, like sending a tough woman to the White House.” At another point, she said, “May the best woman win” in the election.

Republicans have struggled in the past to attract female voters and recruit more diverse candidates, and Democrats have often jumped at the opportunity to send more women to higher positions. Haley’s bid, coming just days after newly elected Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a rebuttal to Biden’s State of the Union address, is clear evidence that the Republican Party is focused on expanding the slate of candidates for higher office.

“We are talking about the presidential primaries process. Republicans will actually look at it very differently,” Shah said.

For Democrats, this represents a difficult situation. It’s no secret that many in the party want someone other than Biden to be the candidate. Some recent polls show that even most Democrats would like to have an alternative.

But many in the party and some close to the administration were quick to defend the president, noting that his agenda and track record of supporting people from all walks of life make him a more compelling choice.

Charlotte Clymer, writer and Democratic political strategist, has argued that Haley’s presence as a female contender in the race is not enough without inclusive politics.

“Representation means nothing without protection,” Clymer said.

“I would rather vote for a man who I know will fight for my rights, and not for a woman who ridicules my humanity with her empty pandering,” she added.

Other Democrats point out that Biden has served in top government positions with a wide range of talent, demonstrating commitment to many different voices and ideas.

“President Biden has one of the most diverse multi-racial coalitions we have seen in recent political history,” said one Democratic strategist who previously worked for Hillary Clinton.

“Throughout his presidency, he has prioritized the upliftment of women, people of color, youth, and other minorities. This approach to governance and this strong coalition will help him fend off any criticism that might be expected from an 80-year-old white man running for re-election,” the campaign strategist said.

When Biden chose Harris — the first Native American black woman and female vice president — as his running mate, some hoped she would become heir in 2024. The White House accumulated during the first term.

On Friday, Harris said, “I intend to run again” for vice president alongside Biden, a phrase the president himself often uses to describe his re-election process.

But the thought that she may be eyeing the presidency is on the minds of Republicans and Democrats alike, especially since Haley has entered the race.

“A hypothetical matchup between Kamala Harris and Nikki Haley, I think Nikki could actually pull it off,” Shah said.

However, despite all indications that Biden is intent on launching another campaign, Democrats are currently navigating the GOP field, which includes only Haley and Trump.

The current dearth of Republican nominees so far allows Haley, still relatively new to the national scene, to create an inherent identity contrast with Biden. She has already directly addressed what she sees as his shortcomings, at times sidestepping the issues she will have to face, most notably what is expected to be a crowded field of GOP contenders.

While some Democrats have made Biden’s age a topic of debate, Haley wasted no time in delivering a message that she says needs “a new generation to lead us into the future.”

“We’re ready. Ready to let go of outdated ideas and faded names of the past,” she said as she began her bet.

Hailey received an unexpected boost the day after her campaign launched when CNN host Don Lemon made the remark that she had already passed her “heyday” in a segment about her candidacy, going on to say that women under 20, 30 or 40 don’t are considered their “flourishing”.

Republican women seized on Lemon’s remarks.

“So, Don Lemon says that Nikki Haley’s blossoming as a woman is over. The first sexist attack on a female GOP presidential candidate didn’t take long,” Karin Lips, a lawyer and conservative activist, tweeted after receiving a retweet from Hayley.

Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) added, “Nothing scares liberals more than successful conservative women. When liberals feel threatened, they resort to this kind of sexist nonsense.”

Democrats have often said that media coverage of female candidates is sexist. When Clinton ran in 2016, she created a messaging and fundraising mechanism around what would be a historic moment on the road to greater gender equality. Four years later, and after four years of Trump’s tenure, several prominent female candidates submitted their own applications. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) made perseverance a key part of her slogan, reminding voters of how Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) tried to calm her down on the Senate floor.

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With Biden likely to be at the top of the list again, Democrats are cautiously dancing around his age, as well as imperfect optics pushing the white man to the top of the list once again as both sides look for more. diversity.

While he may be the face of the Democratic Party for now, some say his political priorities, cabinet and top aides speak for themselves and hope they will protect him from over-criticism.

“Joe Biden fights for all people. Nikki Haley is fighting for Nikki Haley,” Clymer said. “Marginalized communities will easily rally around Biden vs. Haley.”

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