Following Marco Rubio’s exit from the 2016 presidential race, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley decided to back Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for president.
Video captured by The State in South Carolina shows Haley, a former Rubio supporter, saying she intends to support the Republican nominee no matter who it becomes, but she will push for Cruz to succeed.
“My hope and my prayer is that Sen. Cruz can come through this and that he can push through and really get to where he needs to go because we do want a strong leader, we do want somebody that’s conservative, we do want somebody that’s action-minded, so we’ll see what happens,” Haley said.
Haley said she believes Cruz has a path to the Republican nomination, but did not foresee any route for Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Haley added that she would not urge Kasich to quit the race.
The South Carolina governor’s decision to align behind Cruz is among the first of Rubio’s prominent supporters to move over to Cruz’s side. Her decision may lead other Rubio fans to do the same.
