Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and Trump primary challenger, warned Republicans should prepare for Democrats to replace President Biden with a candidate who is ‘younger’ and more ‘vibrant,’ while repeating her push for cognitive tests for all candidates for federal office.
‘They are going to be smart about it. They’re going to bring somebody younger. They’re going to bring somebody vibrant. They’re going to bring somebody tested,’ Haley told the Wall Street Journal Saturday.
‘This is a time for Republicans to prepare and get ready for what’s to come because there is no way that there will be a surviving Democratic Party if they allow Joe Biden to continue to be the candidate.’
Some Democrats have also called on Biden to drop out of the race after his debate performance against former President Trump.
In reference to Biden’s performance, Haley said, ‘Our enemies just saw that they have between now and Jan. 20 to do whatever it is they want to do.’
Haley said in May that despite their contentious primary contest in which both candidates threw personal insults at each other, she planned to vote for Trump in November.
She also told the Journal she had reached out to the former president recently and had a ‘good conversation.’
Trump previously said he believes Haley will be ‘on our team in some form.’
Haley previously served as Trump’s United Nations ambassador.
‘America deserves the strongest leader possible,’ Haley said on X Saturday. ‘Thursday night was shocking. It’s exactly why I have been calling for mental competency tests for anyone running for office. Joe Biden owes the American people transparency about his cognitive abilities.’
She added that Washington, D.C. is ‘full of older people,’ and voters need to know ‘who is up to the challenge and who is not.’
‘To the millions of Nikki Haley supporters who are tired of Donald Trump and his MAGA allies constantly attacking them, running moderates and independents out of the party and repeatedly refusing to commit to accepting the 2024 election results, you have a home in President Biden’s coalition,’ Biden spokesperson Ammar Moussatold Fox News Digital of Haley’s comments.
Haley also questioned Trump’s cognitive abilities during the Republican primary, noting that he seemingly confused her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Haley, 52, told the Journal Democrats could suffer down-ballot losses if they keep Biden as the nominee.
‘If they continue down this path, and they have Biden as their nominee, they are committed to hurting America,’ she said.