Governor Gavin Newsom says Nikki Haley is ‘one of our better surrogates’ and questions why she remains in the race after stunning defeat in her home state

California Governor Gavin Newsom says he wants Nikki Haley to remain in the 2024 presidential primaries because she is essentially a “surrogate” for Democrats.

After an embarrassing defeat to Donald Trump in her home state primary in South Carolina on Saturday, the former UN ambassador. Haley said she is sticking to her word and staying in the race through Super Tuesday.

Newsom said there is no chance Haley can win the Republican nomination against Trump after the former president defeated all four early primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.

He said it’s “understandable” why Haley wants to stay in the race, but is okay with it because it helps Democrats if a fellow Republican points out Trump’s pitfalls.

Former UN Ambassador. Nikki Haley said in her speech after Saturday’s primaries that she plans to keep her word and stay in the race, even after a crushing defeat in her home state of South Carolina.

“She makes points that I applaud every day about his temperament, his abilities, his unraveling in real time,” Newsom told NBC Meet the Press host Kristen Welker on Sunday.

He added, “And I think she’s been incredibly effective, so I personally hope she stays in.”

Republicans theorize that Democrats plan to have Newsom govern based on the 2024 primaries instead of President Joe Biden.

Newsom insists he has no plans to make a bid for the White House this cycle, but Republicans are unconvinced he won’t intervene at the Democrat nominating convention this summer.

He told NBC during his Sunday interview that any calls for him to enter the race are just “idle talk” and a “side issue.”

“It’s not even an interesting conversation,” he added, saying he “100%” rules out the possibility.

A Republican candidate must collect 1,215 delegates in the primaries to earn the Republican nomination. After Saturday’s election, Trump has 107 delegates and Haley only 17. She lost to Trump by 20 percent in a state where she was once governor.

“I don’t know why Democrats want her out of the race,” Governor Newsom said, emphasizing, “She is one of our better surrogates.”

“I mean, she defines Trump’s opposition incredibly effectively.”

Haley has repeatedly said she plans to stay in the race until Super Tuesday on March 5, when 15 states and American Samoa will hold their Republican primaries. On that one voting day, 874 Republican delegates are up for grabs.

“I said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina, I would continue to run for president,” Haley said in her speech from Charleston on Saturday.

‘I am a woman of my word. I will not give up this fight if a majority of Americans disapprove of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden.”

Donald Trump delivered a victory speech just minutes after the polls closed in South Carolina at 7 p.m. Saturday — and didn’t mention Haley’s name once, shifting the focus to November’s general election

Just seconds after the polls closed at 7 p.m. on Saturday evening, the South Carolina primary was called for Trump.

Trump’s victory speech from Columbia, South Carolina began at 7:02 p.m. and did not include any mention of his remaining competitor as the former president shifted his strategy from the primaries to November’s general election.

Trump said November 5, 2024 will be the “most important date in history.”

“Nine months is a long time,” he noted of the time remaining before the presidential election later this year. “I wish we could do it faster.”

“You know, in certain countries you can call your election date,” he added. ‘If I had the right to do it, I would do it tomorrow. I would say we have an election tomorrow.”

Haley’s loss Saturday marks the first time in more than 50 years that a Republican candidate has lost the primary in his home state. The previous one was Richard Nixon, who lost the California primaries to Ronald Reagan, who was also from California.