Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley secured her first endorsement from a sitting senator Friday afternoon when Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, announced her support for the former South Carolina governor in her campaign against former President Donald Trump.
Murkowski said in a statement she was proud to endorse Haley, adding: “America needs someone with the right values, vigor, and judgment to serve as our next President.”
She said Haley was the best option in the race and would “uphold the ideals of the Republican Party while serving as a President for all Americans.”
Murkowski is widely considered one of the most centrist Republicans in Congress.
Haley’s only other congressional endorsement has come from Rep. Ralph Norman, R.-S.C., a member of the House Freedom Caucus who endorsed Haley over Trump in February, saying “it’s time for a reset and a new chapter in national Republican politics, and there’s no better person to help write that new chapter” than Haley.
Haley responded to Murkowski’s endorsement in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, in which Haley said she was “honored” to get the support of someone who is “a tough, independent voice for Alaska.”
Whether Murkowski’s endorsement helps Haley’s performance in the Alaska primary Tuesday.
15%. That’s how much support Haley averages across national Republican primary polls, according to FiveThirtyEight. Trump is beating Haley heartily, with 76.8% support.
Murkowski’s endorsement came days before Super Tuesday, a critically important day for Haley as she hopes to beat Trump in at least one state—something she’s yet to do. Haley lost to Trump in the Republican primary in Michigan earlier this week, with Trump getting 68.1% of the vote compared to the former United Nations ambassador, who received 26.6% of the vote, according to the Associated Press. Haley also lost in her home state of South Carolina, where Trump received 59.8% of the vote to her 39.5%, according to the Associated Press. Despite her losses, Haley has said she’ll stay in the race for president until at least Super Tuesday—March 5—to give voters an alternative to Trump and President Joe Biden, who she has called “grumpy old men.”
