WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is set to make her first public appearance since dropping out in March but her impact on the race is still being felt as GOP primaries continue across the country.
Haley is still picking up a healthy amount of votes, enough to get the attention of former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.
Nikki Haley is perhaps the highest-profile Republican in the nation who has refused to fall in line and endorse Trump’s presidential bid.
It’s unclear, however, how long that might last.
Haley’s decision on Trump in the coming months will be closely watched not just by her supportersm but by allies of Trump and President Joe Biden.
Haley won more than 20% of the vote in Maryland, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Nebraska. Her continued support from moderate Republicans and Democrats could spell trouble for the Trump campaign, which has struggled to woo these independent Haley voters to his side.
Biden is also seeing his protest vote play out as progressive voters opposed to his steadfast support of Israel and its war in Gaza continue to vote “undecided.” So far, the “undecided” vote has yielded 35 delegates.
While some Republicans who supported Haley will likely vote for Trump, the Biden campaign is working to win over her supporters, viewing them as true swing voters.
Biden’s team, according to the Associated Press, is quietly organizing a Republicans for Biden group, which will eventually include dedicated staff and focus on the hundreds of thousands of Haley voters in each battleground state, according to people familiar with the plans but not authorized to discuss them publicly.
The Democratic president hasn’t kept his intentions a secret.
Biden issued a statement thanking Haley for her courage to challenge Trump just minutes after she bowed out of the primary race in March.
“Donald Trump made it clear he doesn’t want Nikki Haley’s supporters. I want to be clear: There is a place for them in my campaign,” Biden said at the time.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
