In the wake of the recent brutal attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilian targets, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has a unique opportunity to distinguish herself within the Republican party by taking a firm stance against antisemitism.
This issue has been a persistent undercurrent in conservative and Republican politics in the United States for decades.
Pat Buchanan, a previous contender for the GOP nomination, notoriously declared in 1990 that Capitol Hill was "Israeli-occupied territory." The current leading candidate for the GOP nomination, former President Donald Trump, has repeatedly criticized "liberal Jews" for allegedly seeking to "destroy America and Israel." He has also accused Jews of being "ungrateful" towards him.
Trump recently dined with two well-known antisemites, Nick Fuentes and rapper Ye. Fuentes is known for hosting white supremacist conferences that have attracted GOP Members of Congress as speakers.
A UMass-Amherst poll conducted in October 2022 revealed that one-third of Americans and two-thirds of Republicans endorse some form of the "Great Replacement" theory. This antisemitic conspiracy theory posits that Jews are attempting to replace the white working class with immigrants of color.
Turning Point USA, a prominent conservative group, has alluded to antisemitic conspiracy theories, including one suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was aware of the impending Hamas attack or issued a stand-down order. This led to the hashtag "#BibiKnew" trending on social media.
These political attacks coincide with a rise in hate crimes against Jewish Americans. According to a recent press release by the Anti-Defamation League, "Hate crimes data released today by the Federal Bureau of Investigation showssingle-bias anti-Jewish hate crime incidents in the country sharply rose by more than 37 percent, reaching 1,122 incidents, the highest number recorded in almost three decades and the second-highest number on record.
This is a critical moment for Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to challenge her party for allowing extremism, conspiracy theories, and hateful attitudes to proliferate for political gain.
Haley is currently gaining traction in the polls and is well-positioned to run for the GOP nomination. Many centrist voters view her as the best possible Republican candidate, as comedian Bill Maher put it.
Unlike Trump, Haley has refrained from engaging in disingenuous culture wars aimed at belittling blacks, gays, and women concerned about the loss of abortion rights.
However, Haley's virtues should not be overstated. While she condemned Trump's actions during the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol and labeled his attacks on Vice President Mike Pence as "disgusting," she has stated that she would still support Trump if he were the GOP nominee.
Haley recently drew criticism for blaming congressional Democrats, rather than the House Republican majority, for the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as Speaker of the House. In January of 2022, Haley even called on President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to resign "for the good of the country."
Last week, Haley made headlines again when she claimed that Americans who disagree with Israel's treatment of Palestinians are attempting to justify the violence perpetrated by Hamas.
"I don't know how the Left justifies the beheadingsThat's between them and God. I don't understand it and I don't want to understand it," Haley stated in a television interview.
Such inflammatory rhetoric may appeal to the GOP's angry base and earn Haley invitations to appear on right-wing radio shows, but it contradicts her efforts to present herself as a serious stateswoman capable of handling complex global affairs.
Haley's tenure as South Carolina governor was marked by both commendable and questionable actions. She ordered the removal of the Confederate Flag from the statehouse grounds following a mass shooting at a black church, but she also refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, a decision that was politically expedient but indifferent to the needs of thousands of uninsured poor people.
A recent Fox News poll showed Haley doubling her support since September, propelling her into third place with 10 percent, behind Trump at 59 percent and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at 13 percent.
A 538 average of polling data shows Haley rising to second place in New Hampshire and third place in Iowa.
If nominated, Haley would make history as the first Republican woman and the first woman of color to lead a major party's presidential ticket.
To distinguish herself as the logical alternative to Trump, Haley needs to convince DeSantis, Pence, and other potential candidates to withdraw and endorse her in a concerted effort to prevent Trump's nomination.
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