Former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley weighed in on the state of the 2024 race Tuesday as Vice President Kamala Harris gains momentum in key battleground states ahead of the November election.
Haley told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier on "Special Report" Republicans and former President Trump should focus on policy and messaging instead of crowd sizes at rallies, Harris' race, or attacks on her intellect.
"You can't win on those things. The American people are smart. Treat them like they're smart," she said. "It's not about her. It's about the American people. Talk to them and let them know you need their vote."
The former South Carolina governor also encouraged Republicans to "quit whining" about Harris and "quit complaining" that she hasn’t given a formal sit-down interview since replacing President Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket.
"We knew it was going to be her. She's not going to give an interview. They're going to hold out as long as they can. That's their right. They can do it. That doesn't mean we can't talk about what she believes in. And we should be getting out there and doing that," said Haley.
"I take her at her word that she thinks that illegal immigrants should be able to vote and be given driver's licenses. I take her at her word that she wants to ban fracking and kill a bunch of U.S. jobs. Take her at her word."
As of Tuesday, Harris has yet to hold a formal press conference or sit-down for an interview in 23 days. She told reporters on the tarmac in Detroit last week that she’s asked her team to schedule her first interview since becoming the Democratic nominee before the end of the month.
Haley told Baier that Republicans should focus on courting suburban women, independents, moderate Republicans and conservative Democrats.
"The target issues are the economy, the fact that Kamala wants to raise taxes, the fact that she's taking money from those that didn't go to college and has given it to those that did, the fact that when Afghanistan fell, the fact that when they lifted sanctions on Iran, the fact that when they, you know, actually said that they would help Israel and then pulled back, where was Kamala when that happened? She was sitting right next to Joe Biden in the Situation Room," the former U.N. ambassador pointed out.
"This administration is Kamala Harris' administration. Everything that has happened is hers. So define her in that way. Talk about those issues."
CLOSE CONTEST BETWEEN TRUMP AND HARRIS IN THIS BATTLEGROUND STATE TURNED RED: POLL
Haley, who endorsed Trump at the Republican National Convention in July, added that she genuinely hopes he wins in November, but she has no interest in serving in his administration again.
"Trump knows how to win. He just needs to do it now. He has the ability to do it," she said. "There is no question that I want to see Donald Trump win this election because we can't have a Kamala Harris and Tim Walz."
