Reeher Quoted in USA Today Articles on Nikki Haley, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

May 23, 2024

Newsweek

Grant Reeher

Political Science Department

Campbell Public Affairs Institute

Federal

Political Parties

U.S. Elections

United States

Newsweek

Grant Reeher

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley suspended her presidential campaign in March, but she’s still going strong in the Republican primaries as she racks up a notable share of votes against Donald Trump, spelling a warning sign for the former president, according to some experts.

“Haley continuing to garner support after suspending her campaign may indicate that a significant number of normally loyal Republicans are not supportive of Trump,” Grant Reeher, professor of political science and director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute, tells USA Today.

“Whether that means they will vote for Biden or another candidate in the general election is, again, hard to say, but it could indicate that some of them may not vote, given the options. And this election is expected to be close, so even a small drop-off could hurt Trump, especially in the battleground states,” he adds.

In the USA Today article “Trump said he has 'no problem' debating Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Here's why,” Reeher says that Kennedy has also downplayed the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol, and both Biden and the Democrats have been making a lot of that moment by pushing themselves as the "party of democracy.”

Kennedy's participation "could undercut that central message of Biden,” Reeher says.