GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Tuesday backed out of two slated Republican primary debates in New Hampshire after finishing third in the Iowa caucuses the night before.
The former United Nations ambassador and Governor of South Carolina announced the decision on X, saying the next time she takes the debate stage it will be to square off against President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump.
"We've had five great debates in this campaign," Haley wrote. "Unfortunately, Donald Trump has ducked all of them. He has nowhere left to hide. The next debate I do will either be with Donald Trump or with Joe Biden. I look forward to it."
Despite her third-place finish, Haley seemingly cast the remainder of the GOP primaries as a "two-person race" between herself and Trump. She did not mention Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who finished second in Iowa.
"I can safely say tonight Iowa made this Republican primary a two-person race," Haley said at the Des Moines, Iowa, caucus site, according to National Review. "Tonight, I will be back in the great state of New Hampshire, and the question before Americans is now very clear: Do you want more of the same, or do you want a new generation of conservative leadership?"
Haley's announcement that she will not debate in New Hampshire was met with substantial criticism online.
"You finished third," Burt Macklin wrote. "Suspend your campaign."
Replying to Haley, Angela posted, "Girl, now you're just spending other people's money recklessly. It's not gonna happen."
"You came in third and said it's a two person race," Anthony Russo said, including a GIF of a man making a confused face.
The two Republican primary debates in New Hampshire were scheduled for Thursday and Sunday, ahead of the Granite State's first-in-the-nation primary next Tuesday.
In Iowa, Haley garnered 19% of the vote, coming in just behind DeSantis at 21%. Trump won the caucuses in a landslide, with 51% of the vote.
Nicole Wells ✉
Nicole Wells, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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