Mahanth S. Joishy is editor of usindiamonitor

Nikki Haley, born Nimarata Nikki Randhawa to Sikh parents who immigrated to South Carolina from the Punjab, has coveted the White House for a long time. She has carefully laid a foundation in furtherance of this grand ambition over a number of years, and is finally making her first earnest crack at it this time around after speculation whether she would compete in previous election cycles. Considering her background as an Indian-American female person, achieving the dream was always going to entail plowing through an unlikely, long and hard path. Especially because she is asking voters to make her the standard-bearer for a modern GOP increasingly hostile to the interests of minority groups and women both. Haley is proving game to run through the gauntlet, which is admirable and courageous in today’s America.

Would usindiamonitor go so far as to endorse Nikki Haley in this diverse and crowded primary field with a wide range of comers like Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie, Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Tim Scott, and others (we have barely heard of)? In this field we’re observing very different ideas. We’ll lay it all out in this deep dive into Nikki Haley’s active presidential run in order to arrive at a thoughtful conclusion that takes into account all the angles.

First it is fair to question whether there’s even a halfway viable lane to victory at all in today’s modern Grand Old Party, especially for a consistent moderate up against candidates with more radical ideas on how to run- or even whittle away at- the United States government as we know it. Some of these radical ideas are very popular on one side of the aisle among both politicians and voters. Right off the bat electability poses a major roadblock for Haley’s campaign.

I reckon the play here is proving right a theory: can the party get behind a person who embodies America’s changing demographic profile if she stays true to the core conservative Christian values that animate the vast majority of the Republican/MAGA electorate looking to take back the White House? We shall find out soon. It helps that Haley converted to Christianity as a young adult.

But the theory can only be tested in the event legal troubles, health issues, or another unforeseen circumstance knock Trump’s campaign out of the picture. This is what every other Republican candidate including Haley is desperately banking on, for they are otherwise doomed to compete viciously for Trump’s meager scraps, fighting to get more than single digits in the polls. A Trump that sees the race through will eliminate all others from the primary with near absolute certainty, his main obstacle being the general election afterward. Therein lies the exquisite conundrum facing today’s GOP: a non-Trump candidate emerging elevates the party’s odds of winning the general election, but absent any evidence of Republicans coming to their senses, every primary poll gives Trump an insurmountable lead, cakewalking into an uphill battle against Biden, who has beaten Trump before and can meanwhile just bide his time while the Republicans duke it out.

Something will eventually have to give, and Haley made a case on the first debate stage that she should be the last one standing if Trump exits the race. Some commentators believe she won the debate, and objectively her poll numbers and fundraising haul got bumps from the event.

Tricky as threading the needle might be, in Haley’s political career to date she has successfully showcased exactly that, winning every race she entered within the machine politics in the heart of the deep-red Deep South, by convincing the same type of voters she’ll need to win in 2024, facing down plenty of ugly racism and sexism from political opponents along the way. Joe Biden and any other Democrats hoping to cling onto the White House would be wise to take notice of and keep tabs on her progress. The 2024 general could be an uncomfortably close race, with control of Congress also on the line.

There’s a juicy opportunity for Nikki Haley to attract centrists and liberals with her pragmatic and positive approach. Her broad appeal in the 2024 general election should be exceedingly obvious, perhaps in this regard surpassing all the other Republican hopefuls. Haley’s general election poll numbers already back that up. But first she must somehow survive the brutal primary season. Currently her poll numbers in September 2023 place her at around 6% among Republican primary voters, an anemic average demonstrating the herculean challenge facing her campaign. Whatever Nikki has been doing so far clearly isn’t working. Her campaign must urgently change up the strategy somehow, ASAP, to stand a fighting chance as Iowa approaches. I won’t claim to understand Republican voters enough to have any idea what that would entail.

Let’s pivot from the horse race to hard policy. First of all, I’ll present the foremost reason for usindiamonitor to root for Nikki despite disliking many other aspects of her record. She has strongly advocated for a military alliance between the United States and India, verbally and in writing, although in my humble opinion less eloquently than I have in these pages. Getting this treaty alliance inked should be a top foreign policy priority for any US president or Indian Prime Minister, and if you care to learn more about why, please click on her thoughts and also mine on this matter. We are deeply aligned on signing this seminal bilateral agreement that would help shape the world order for the better for years to come, while impacting all other aspects of US foreign policy. Achieving this goal will be extremely difficult and requires hands-on leadership from the White House. Expressing this controversial stance separates her from the other candidates, and compelled me to take a closer look at Haley.

Where does Haley stand on other important issues and challenges facing modern America, and has she demonstrated that she’s equipped to navigate us through the choppy waters ahead? When it comes to leadership and executive management, and a credible grasp of America’s complex foreign affairs, she understandably points to her substantive record as Governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, and her stint as US Ambassador to the United Nations from 2017-2018.

Haley’s tenure as Governor of South Carolina started when she was just 38 years old. She was one of the first two nonwhite, non-male Governors in US history to ever take office. Two particular episodes stand out for gaining the most national media attention during her administration. The first was a heated controversy in 2015 over the Confederate flag flying on the grounds of the South Carolina State Capitol. For years she infamously supported the flag waving there unfettered, even in the immediate aftermath of white supremacist Dylann Roof’s despicable massacre of nine congregants mid-worship at a black South Carolina church that year. She joined the sizable Republican chorus defending the flag on the grounds of historical and cultural adulation by some South Carolina citizens, despite the deep pain and resentment it caused many others she represented, and the succor it provided to Neo-Nazis. She eventually changed her tune under intense pressure and scrutiny, as I covered at the time, because this adulation was embodied in Dylann Roof whose social media prominently featured images of him posing with that flag before the rampage. The images played on an unending loop for multiple news cycles. That there was even any debate around the controversial symbol either before or after the hate crime disgusted me. Many Americans of all races felt equally repulsed. Haley’s behavior demonstrated a shocking lack of empathy, principles and leadership during a fight it should have been exceedingly easy to switch sides on without delay. Instead she took her time to ostensibly deliberate and soul-search before changing her mind. Especially for a leader from a racial minority her hemming and hawing words and actions during that saga, apparently driven by cold political calculations, were insensitive and tone deaf to many Americans, and come dangerously close to being a real deal-breaker for me when it comes to her presidential aspirations.

Governor Haley did finally come around to doing the right thing and staking out the morally correct position on the Confederate flag, and then stood by her change of heart in the aftermath ever since. Then the flag came down. South Carolina was part of a wider movement that led to removals of the flag from other government properties in other Southern states as well, so she ultimately had a positive influence on the wider outcome when all was said and done. This convinced me recently to forgive if not forget her journey. Every American politician regardless of party flip-flops at some point, and it’s how their machinations and calibrations impact our society in the end that matters most.

Haley’s second prominent and pivotal moment in the national spotlight was her official rebuttal on national television, delivered on behalf of the GOP, to Obama’s 2016 State of the Union. We can point to this as the moment when intense speculation around Haley’s potential White House prospects among the chattering class officially blew up as she planned. The chatter has not let up since. That’s 7 years of continued Beltway buzz. The rebuttal itself (watch it here) was widely considered by the mainstream media as a success for Haley’s brand and political aspirations thanks to the enthusiasm, optimism and positivity displayed by “the proud daughter of Indian immigrants” while managing to poke at the rival party as desired by Republicans exhausted by 7 years of Obama in office. She doubled down on her decision to advocate for the Confederate flag being taken down during this speech, and deserves credit for sticking to her guns once she finally changed her mind.

What additionally stuck out from her carefully scripted, soft-spoken speech that January day was Haley’s half-hearted parallel rebuttal against the divisive rhetoric then being actively employed by candidate Donald Trump’s ascendent movement, which would go on to propel him to victory later that year. She gently layered it on top of the notably polite skewering of Obama and Democrats. On this occasion she did not even utter Trump’s name, addressing the fat elephant in the room only sidewise, like suggesting her fellow partisans “turn down the volume.” To be fair, what she said was right and she was constrained from applying stronger language by political considerations, especially keeping the door open for a presidential appointment in the next Republican administration. But just like the Confederate flag saga, this speech indicated a bothersome lack of backbone. She had a bad habit as governor of not taking firmer stands based on personal conviction, instead allowing political calculations to guide her positions, an unattractive feature of career politicians. In all fairness, she is far from alone in this when it comes to American politics.

As it turned out Haley’s careful calculations did earn her a coveted senior presidential appointment as the Trump administration’s first nominee for UN Ambassador, for which the Senate easily confirmed her. Haley first turned down a Trump offer for the much bigger job of Secretary of State because she felt the administration could find someone better with more foreign policy experience than her, according to an interview with CNN. After rejecting that job offer she flew back home expecting to finish out her term as governor, before getting a callback from the White House with the second offer that she accepted. This account shows a surprising and refreshing display of integrity and recognition of one’s limits to turn down the opportunity of a lifetime to enjoy vast power and influence on a global scale. This is not the kind of thing we witness among creatures of the Swamp very often, where egos run so rampant that thousands of overconfident, half-baked party hacks and donors all believe they’d be the best Secretary of State in the world and also deserve the office more than anyone else. Perhaps the way that played out demonstrates that Haley is capable of being principled and self-aware in her conduct after all. She demonstrated this capability time and again after her time as Governor.

This opinion was cemented for me when I learned she told journalist Dana Bash in 2017 that “everybody knows that Russia meddled in our elections” when most Republicans refused to acknowledge the overwhelming evidence out of fear of the president. Good for her.

To be sure the former governor embarked on her next job as United States Ambassador to the United Nations with precious little foreign policy experience. But she admitted as much openly and embraced the steep learning curve, which I respect. Doing that job for two years bolsters her claim to having the most polished foreign policy resume in the Republican candidate field. Doing that job for two years working for a boss like Donald Trump while managing to avoid major public spats with him- despite his well-known record of displeasure and jealousy towards subordinate officials receiving glowing PR- and the rogue’s gallery of other crazies, goofballs, crooks, and hacks who made up that administration, is impressive in itself. Unlike so many of those people she escaped getting stained by the scandals rampantly spreading through the administration at the time. She left after two years with her dignity intact, no small feat. Emerging from that administration still politically viable for higher office demonstrated an ability for sustained patience and calm, all while the boss went around violating the established norms of international diplomacy like a bull in a China shop. Stunningly, he cozied up to reviled dictators, directly contradicting US interests on a regular basis, forcing his foreign policy staff to do damage control. More impressive still was Ambassador Haley’s reputation in Washington circles for being among the Trump administration officials most respected by Democrats and Republicans alike during those two years. Washington badly needs more leaders like that at a time where cooperative bipartisanship in the town is practically dying.

UN Ambassador Haley could best be described in a nutshell as tough, active, consistent, and impactful. It could not have been easy. She roundly criticized authoritarian regimes like North Korea, Syria and Russia, and wrangled votes at the UN against them. Haley showed full-throated support for allies like Israel and persistently promoted human rights across the globe. I disagreed with her efforts to repeal the Iran nuclear deal, withdraw from the Paris Climate accords, drastically cut US funding for the United Nations, and reduce US foreign aid. These Trump administration priorities caused lasting damage at home and abroad. On the other hand, she found ways to assert independent thinking without getting in trouble. Haley was and still remains supportive of NATO despite Trump’s blistering criticism of the alliance. She did not openly support building a border wall with Mexico despite calling for other measures to secure the border, and took decisive stands against Russian aggression in Ukraine despite mostly silence from the Trump White House about the unilateral occupation of Crimea and the Donbas region. Haley remains an unwavering advocate for arming Ukraine on the 2024 campaign trail despite a large majority of Republican voters now favoring withdrawal of US military aid to Ukraine. She even calls for Ukraine to join NATO. On these policies Haley managed to carve out independent positions skillfully enough to minimize conflicts with Trump and other colleagues in the foreign policy establishment holding starkly contrasting views.

On balance overall, I can live with Haley’s foreign policy. It doesn’t entirely line up with mine, most glaringly on climate change, but as mentioned we naturally converge on the all-important push to take US-India relations to the next level. Haley is among the few in the race who is steadfastly holding the line on Ukraine aid, withdrawal of which at this stage after all the courage and progress demonstrated by that nation on the frontlines of the war between democracy and autocracy, would be a devastating and cruel blow while hope is still alive. Finally Haley has proven very knowledgeable about the inner workings of China and clear-eyed on the growing threat Chinese activity represents to United States national security, which would prove valuable for any US presidential administration that will need to prioritize how to actively address this dangerous threat.

By far my biggest problems with Haley involve her domestic policy postures, both past and present. Her proven ability to get things done in government are added cause for concern. I have substantial criticisms of her domestic vision for America. She has been a reliable right wing culture warrior in favor of expanding gun rights even further despite the gun violence of epidemic proportions sweeping through communities across the country, restricting women’s abortion rights, and making it harder rather than easier to vote in elections. As Governor of South Carolina she proudly joined several other red states in refusing to accept Medicaid expansion funds from the Obama federal government, thereby unnecessarily restricting access to healthcare for thousands of the needy in her state. She is also too meek in her criticism of Donald Trump’s criminal efforts to overturn the 2020 elections, or his racist statements, often trying to deflect when asked hard questions about her former boss. She has promised to pardon Trump if convicted of federal crimes, which is a revolting affront to the rule of law. However, in all of these misguided areas she has plenty of company in the Republican primary ranks. Her domestic platform is overall no worse than the agenda of any of the other leading GOP candidates- or any national Republican politician for that matter. In fact most of her opponents present even more worrying domestic plans backed up by the promise to pursue them with an aggressive passion. They are deliberately being divisive to rile up the base. I do not view Nikki Haley being structurally motivated in the same way at her core. She does not use her platform to purposely divide Americans. And there is one critical area of domestic policy where Haley and I agree: the next president needs to focus on tackling runaway debt, which both parties have been responsible for running up to crisis levels, and not enough people are talking about it.

Haley should be considered a viable and serious candidate. She has been the adult in the room, speaking to voters like they are adults. She will need to figure out a bolder strategy to separate from the pack, while keeping her positive vibes, and if she does so her stock has room to rise. Her appeal in the general election is potentially very compelling. She represents a younger generation of politicians in both parties hoping to wrest control of government from the class of leaders in their 70s and 80s, who should consider retiring to allow a smooth transition to their juniors after decades in power. They had their time to shape the country, and they exacerbated many of the problems we now face. Time for some new blood on both sides. We glaringly need more minorities and women representing America in Washington. While I disagree with Nikki Haley on various domestic and foreign policy philosophies, I don’t find her agenda as antithetical to the future success of the American democratic experiment as some of her rivals seeking the prized GOP nomination. She seems to have integrity, and I’ve seen no evidence of major corruption or scandals that plague her party colleagues. She would likely govern as a moderate, and is someone we could see compromising with Democrats and foreign leaders. Above all else, somebody urgently needs to finally break the rabid fever gripping America and unseat Donald Trump from his position atop the GOP, for the good of the party, the country, and for the sake of democracy itself. I fear a second Trump presidency would enter dangerous authoritarian territory from day one.

So we circle back to the question of whether to support Haley over her competitors in the crowded Republican primary field after assessing all of her experience and statements on the campaign trail. usindiamonitor is hereby taking the formal step of endorsing Nikki Haley in the primary because she would be the best president among that field. She is tough enough to endure the gauntlet. Her winning the primary would also set up a very interesting general election race, though I am far from being prepared to endorse her for that phase at this time.

With that out of the way, we have someone to formally root for. Now it’s time to sit back and watch how the primary race unfolds.