A look Into Nikki Haley’s past, present and future

Blake McAlpin | Student Life Editor

February 9, 2024

Nikki Haley is currently campaigning to be the 47th president of the United States. If successful, she would become the first female president and the first American-Indian President in the history of the United States. Nikki Haley is a Republican and her conservative values have made her quite controversial.

Nimrata “Nikki” Randhawa was born on January 20, 1972, in Bamberg, South Carolina. She grew up as a Sikh but then converted to Christianity in her early years. After high school, Haley attended Clemson University and received her bachelor’s degree in finance. It was here that she met her husband, Michael Haley. Nikki Haley’s dream of emerging from a small-town girl to a successful politician reflects the stereotypical and outdated “American dream.”

Nikki Haley’s political career began when she was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2004. In this position, she served three consecutive terms before she decided to run for Governor. When she was elected Governor, she became the first female governor of South Carolina and the second American-Indian governor ever. Although these are great accomplishments and an excellent step forward for the state, Haley’s controversy arose once she was elected to be the UN Ambassador under the Trump administration.

During Haley’s time under Trump, her political views and opinions were put on a pedestal and have been repeatedly referenced during her campaign for President of the United States. Some of her most controversial issues are her stance on LGBTQ+ rights and gun control. In regards to LGBTQ+ rights, she has repeatedly been a letdown for equality. The most noteworthy being her initial opposition to gay marriage and her support for the Trump administration’s anti-trans acts. Haley is also a big supporter of the Second Amendment and holds other general conservative values. Although she advocates for mental health resources and careful background checks, she is very opposed to additional gun control legislation.

As Haley battles former President and colleague, Donald J Trump, to be the Republican nominee in the 2024 election,

many independents question if she will be better than Trump or Biden. There is no debate that both candidates have many, many flaws, but does Haley outshine them? I asked junior Blake Hogan his thoughts on the three leading candidates and he stated, “I think Trump and Biden have both proven they are not fit to be president. Nikki Haley’s campaign strategy has been weird but at least she won’t die in the next term.” He followed with, “I am not a strong supporter of any of the candidates, but it will be interesting to see if Nikki can beat Trump.”

As voting season approaches, I encourage everyone to not only register to vote but take careful consideration in who you will vote for. Each candidate most certainly offers some… unique qualities and so who you vote for will not only change the trajectory of the next four years, but it is safe to say the 2024 election will make the history books.