Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley announced on Tuesday her candidacy for president, becoming the first official challenger to former President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination.
Her announcement comes nearly two years after she said she would not seek the Republican nomination if Trump opted to run again, according to the Associated Press. Trump announced his 2024 presidential bid in November 2022.
“We’re ready – ready to move past the stale ideas and faded names of the past, and we are more than ready for a new generation to lead us into the future,” Haley said at a speech on Wednesday.
Haley, 51, became South Carolina’s first female and youngest (then 38) governor with her 2010 gubernatorial victory. She also served as the United Nations ambassador during the Trump administration.
No other Republicans have officially announced presidential campaigns, but are expected to follow, including Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, and Mike Pompeo.
