AUGUSTA, Maine — Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley released a list of endorsements a week ahead of Maine’s presidential primaries in an effort to gain momentum for her longshot challenge against former President Donald Trump.
The 18 Republicans on the list released Tuesday included former U.S. Rep. David Emery of the 1st District, former Maine Senate President Mike Thibodeau of Winterport and former Maine Senate Minority Leader Mary Small of Bath. It included 10 former lawmakers but no current ones, illustrating the hold that Trump has on the party going into the November election.
He has beaten Haley in each of the first four states to vote in 2024, including her home state of South Carolina on Tuesday. But the former governor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations has argued that Trump cannot beat President Joe Biden, often citing polls showing her doing better than Trump against the Democratic president.
“It’s the easiest path for Republicans to victory,” Thibodeau said. “Nikki Haley will win in a landslide and have coattails as part of it.”
Maine votes alongside 15 other states on March 5, which is called Super Tuesday because it is the most important day on the primary calendar. Even though Haley has vowed to stay in at least until then, her race will be effectively over if she cannot pick up delegates then.
It is not looking likely. In a University of New Hampshire poll of Maine released last week, Trump was supported by 77 percent of likely Republican primary voters, while Haley had just 19 percent. Biden also had a commanding lead over nominal opposition on the Democratic side, making a rematch between the two unpopular politicians look inevitable.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, complimented Haley while speaking to reporters at Trump’s election night party in Columbia on Sunday but suggested it was time for her to drop out.
“I think the sooner she does, the better for her, the better for the party,” Graham said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.