(FreedomBeacon.com)- As the calendar has turned to February, it seems that the posturing for the presidential race in 2024 is starting to heat up.
Reports have surfaced that Republican Nikki Haley has plans to formally announce her candidacy for president in a couple of weeks. That would pit her directly against her one-time boss, former President Donald Trump, who is the only person to formally announce his candidacy at this point.
In addition to being a one-time governor of South Carolina, Haley also served in the Trump administration for two years as the ambassador to the United Nations.
Three sources close to Haley have told NBC News that she plans to invite some supporters to a special event that she will hold in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 15. Two of those sources said the invitation for the event could go out as soon as this week.
It’s at that event that Haley plans to announce that she will be seeking the Republican nomination for president in 2024. While she hasn’t formally announced her plans yet, Haley did tease such a move recently when she told Fox News:
“Yes, we need to go in a new direction. And can I be that leader? Yes, I think I can be that leader.”
Haley’s announcement coming in South Carolina makes sense since that is the state where she was once governor. It’s also one of the first states to hold a primary election, making it a vital state for any candidate running for president.
Trump himself made a stop in South Carolina this past weekend to drum up support. He did the same in New Hampshire, which is the first state to hold a primary, after the Iowa Caucuses.
Trump and Haley have had an up-and-down relationship. The former governor has frequently praised Trump, though she has also heavily criticized him at times as well. And Trump’s attitude toward her seems to be up and down depending on whether she’s supporting or criticizing him at the time.
Now, the two will be facing off head-to-head against each other as two of the earliest people to formally announce their candidacies. It’s widely expected that more announcements like this will come in the near future.
Other people mentioned as potential Republican candidates include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump’s former vice president Mike Pence, and possibly even South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.
If Scott were to throw his hat into the ring, it would be ironic for Haley, who was the one to appoint Scott to the U.S. Senate back in 2012. Since that time, he has won an election for a full term on the Senate twice.
On the Democratic side, it’s also expected that President Joe Biden will soon announce his intentions to run for re-election. In fact, some people have predicted that he will make that announcement not long after he delivers his State of the Union address on February 7.
