(NewsNation) — Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley officially began her run for the White House in Charleston, South Carolina on Wednesday, calling for a new generation of leadership.
Supporters know Nikki Haley will face a challenge going up against former President Donald Trump in the Republican primary, but Haley believes it is time for a new generation.
“Today our enemies think that the American era has passed. They’re wrong. America is not past our prime, it’s just that our politicians are past theirs,” Haley told the crowd.
She hopes to become the first woman and first Asian American to win the Republican presidential nomination.
Haley is the second candidate to enter the Republican primary and she focused on a number of key issues likely to be on the minds of voters.
“We have too many small businesses who can’t afford rent and too many big businesses getting taxpayer bailouts. We have too much crime on our streets, too many drugs flooding our cities and to few police and border patrol,” she said.
Hundreds of supporters gathered for the campaign kickoff, telling NewsNation why they supported Haley.
“She’s got such an amazing background with her husband being in the military, her kids in college, I think she can relate to everybody,” Lori Nichols told NewsNation.
“She’s a woman and women are tough, and I think there’s going to be a special lane for her in this,” Nate Daniels said.
But it didn’t take long for shots to be fired from the Trump campaign, which released a statement bringing up Haley’s past comments calling Hillary Clinton an inspiration and accusing the former governor of being weak on immigration and against a border wall.
With the campaign ahead, Haley is hitting the road to get her message out, with events scheduled in Iowa and New Hampshire in coming days, along with more in South Carolina. Those three states will hold the first primary votes next year.
While Haley is the second candidate to enter, other potential challengers include former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.