The move comes two days before the primary in the state, where he was projected to fall behind both former President Donald Trump and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.
He invested heavily into a weak second place win in Iowa. Sure he got more delegates than Nikki, but only barely. Additionally he didn’t win a single county, all but one went to Trump, the last going to Haley.
His prospects in New Hampshire were near zero, leaving an uphill battle leading into Super Tuesday. He’d need to beat Nikki in South Carolina, which wasn’t going to happen.
A second place flail wasn’t going to work long term and only likely to cause damage. I’m aware he endorsed Trump, but that’s just to ensure the position is available in 2028. If Haley wins in a LOOOOOONGSHOT he is done. If Haley loses, he can jump back in. If Trump wins/loses he can jump back in. Technically Trump could lose and come back in 4 years but everyone is just waiting for him to die. Most probably expected it to happen by 2024, but no such luck.
(To clarify, this isn’t me wishing Trump dead, he’s just an unhealthy old shitbag that father time is likely to get sooner rather than later.)
I’m also surprised but his campaign was dead.
He invested heavily into a weak second place win in Iowa. Sure he got more delegates than Nikki, but only barely. Additionally he didn’t win a single county, all but one went to Trump, the last going to Haley.
His prospects in New Hampshire were near zero, leaving an uphill battle leading into Super Tuesday. He’d need to beat Nikki in South Carolina, which wasn’t going to happen.
A second place flail wasn’t going to work long term and only likely to cause damage. I’m aware he endorsed Trump, but that’s just to ensure the position is available in 2028. If Haley wins in a LOOOOOONGSHOT he is done. If Haley loses, he can jump back in. If Trump wins/loses he can jump back in. Technically Trump could lose and come back in 4 years but everyone is just waiting for him to die. Most probably expected it to happen by 2024, but no such luck.
(To clarify, this isn’t me wishing Trump dead, he’s just an unhealthy old shitbag that father time is likely to get sooner rather than later.)