On February 14, local time, Nikki Haley, who served as the former governor of South Carolina and former US ambassador to the United Nations, announced that she will participate in the 2024 presidential election.
The news was somewhat surprising, after all, Haley, 51, had said she would not run for president, but now her tone changed: "I don't think you need 80-year-old leaders, now it's the turn of the new generation." Apparently, Haley is "killing two birds with one stone", including her 76-year-old Republican predecessor Donald Trump, and the current president, 80-year-old Joe Biden.
Haley has said that she wants to become the first female president in American history, so what are the highlights of her?
The biggest difference between previous presidents in the United States is not only gender, but also her ethnicity, Haley is of Indian descent.
"I'm the proud daughter of Indian immigrants," Haley said announcing her candidacy, "not black, not white, I'm different." But my mom always said, 'Your job is not to focus on differences, but on similarities.'" ”
Haley's maiden name is Ranhawa, and her parents are both Sikhs who immigrated to the United States.
Haley's father, Ajit, was born in the Punjab region of India and graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada with a master's degree, and went on to get a job as an associate professor of biology at a black university in South Carolina. His mother, Raj, also from Punjab, earned a law degree at university, which was unusual at the time. She worked as a public school teacher and later opened a clothing boutique, reportedly worth millions of dollars.
Haley was treated "carefully" at school, and her teachers couldn't seem to classify her, neither wanting to upset her nor respecting her. However, Haley's academic performance is still good, she claims to be a smart child, and the grade jump is proof of this.
Haley was admitted to Clemson University, first studying textile management and then accounting, "our family doesn't discuss politics, and I never thought about taking related courses."
While in college, Haley met her now-husband William Michael Bill Haley, a white man. It is reported that Haley's father did not approve of her marriage with non-Indian at first, but after 5 years of dating, the two still walked together and held two ceremonies, Sikh and Methodist. After marriage, Haley also converted to Christianity.
After graduating from college, Haley joined the Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs as a business owner, which was the beginning of her career in politics.
Haley and her husband, Bill, have two children, son Nalin and daughter Rena, and two dogs.
Despite her parenting mandate, Haley has created multiple firsts throughout her career, the first female governor of South Carolina (and once the youngest governor in the state), the first minority governor of South Carolina, and the first co-governor of a female minority in the United States.
Haley once declared, "I have never lost a game, and I will not lose now".
Haley was a strong Trump supporter who she planned never to compete, but now she is the former president's first major challenger.
In fact, Haley had a view of Trump long after the "Capitol riot" in 2021, "We need to admit that he let us down." He went down a path that he should not take, we should not follow him, we should not listen to him. We can't let that happen again."
Still, Haley has publicly stated that she supports Trump's candidacy in the 2024 presidential election. But now that she is going to compete with the other party, it is estimated that the former president will be very unhappy, and then he will denigrate her. Looking at how he treated Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, it's almost predictable how Haley will be treated, and hopefully the Indian woman is ready.