Ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley brings Republican presidential campaign to Myrtle Beach

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Former South Carolina governor and 2024 presidential hopeful Nikki Haley hit on a variety of topics Monday evening at a rally in Myrtle Beach.

Haley, a former two-term Republican governor who went on to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, kicked off her campaign in February in Charleston. Since then, she’s already campaigned in Iowa and New Hampshire,

During Monday night’s rally at Horry Georgetown Technical College’s Grand Strand campus, Haley reflected on her accomplishments as governor of the Palmetto State.

“We did such great things in South Carolina,” she said.  

While Haley fired up the crowd by talking about education and immigration, her frustration with U.S. money being sent overseas and the nation’s debt clearly showed through.

”I told you the truth as governor, and I’m going to tell you the truth now,” Haley said. “That’s just not [President} Biden’s fault, Republicans did that to us, too. It was the Republicans that passed the $2.2 trillion COVID stimulus that started all of this.”

She also spoke passionately about the fentanyl crisis at the southern border and Mexico’s president rebuking calls for U.S. military action against cartels.

“When it comes to the fentanyl, the Mexican president said the U.S. wasn’t allowed to do anything to their cartels,” Haley said. “This is what we tell the Mexican president, either you do something, or we’ll do something about it.”

Early in her campaign, Haley has gotten plenty of national attention for saying there should be an age limit for U.S. politicians.

“You cannot tell me [President] Biden is at the top of his game,” she said.

Haley is one of three Republicans who have already entered the GOP race. The others are former President Donald Trump and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is also expected to enter the race.