Some GOP insiders say Nikki Haley lacks support, needs to 'prove' herself as 2024 presidential field expands

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is expected to denote later this period that she will tally for president successful 2024, and aggregate GOP strategists judge she lacks a constituency and will person to "prove" herself successful a title that is judge to go crowded successful nan coming months.

"Outside of nan Beltway, Nikki Haley doesn't person overmuch of a constituency. She embraced Donald Trump erstwhile it was politically advantageous to her ain profession to do so, but astir blimpish Americans do not spot her arsenic an important fixture of nan populist right," Kristin Tate, a GOP strategist and columnist for The Hill, told Fox News Digital. "I fishy her statesmanlike bid will not beryllium successful."

Haley, who served arsenic ambassador to nan United Nations during erstwhile President Donald Trump’s administration, touted Wednesday a "big announcement" slated for Feb. 15, erstwhile she is expected to motorboat her 2024 statesmanlike tally successful South Carolina.

"With nan remainder of nan section fundamentally stiff successful place, Ambassador Haley is creating headlines, attraction and ideally momentum by becoming nan 2nd charismatic campaigner to make it official," Colin Reed, a founding personnel of South & Hill Strategies who served arsenic run head for erstwhile Massachusetts GOP Sen. Scott Brown, told Fox. "Now she has to beryllium she’s up to nan trial by surviving nan inevitable scrutiny that accompanies a nationalist campaign."

SOUTH CAROLINA'S NIKKI HALEY TO LAUNCH 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, JOINING TRUMP IN NOMINATION HUNT

From near to right: Former President Donald Trump, erstwhile South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (Justin Sullivan, Theo Wargo, Scott Olson via Getty Images)

Haley, according to Reed, has nan "background, experience, and profile" that will entreaty to Republican voters, but he believes nan "majority of nan attraction will remain" connected Trump, who announced past November that he was moving for president for a 3rd time, and Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has not said whether he will activity nan White House amid wide GOP support for him to do so.

Tate, successful statement pinch Reed, believes nan "real conflict for nan psyche of nan GOP" lies betwixt Trump and DeSantis, and concludes that Haley's candidacy could person a antagonistic effect connected DeSantis' bid for nan White House should he determine to run.

"She will extremity up siphoning a comparatively mini number of votes distant from Ron DeSantis, chiefly among Republican voters looking for an replacement to Trump," Tate suggested.

Alex Finland, nan laminitis of Driver Eight Media, besides believes DeSantis is "best positioned to forestall erstwhile President Trump from winning nan Republican nomination," concluding that Haley's "chances commencement successful SC and would extremity location if she tin not get a triumph successful her location state."

"Only clip will show whether DeSantis has nan staying powerfulness to stay a apical contender for 18 months," he said.

Similarly, civilian authorities lawyer and Fox News contributor Leo Terrell, who has remained a patient protagonist of Trump, said he believes if DeSantis enters nan title for nan White House past "every different Republican hopeful, including Nikki Haley, person perfectly zero chance of capturing nan nomination."

"Ron DeSantis is nan only viable replacement to President Trump's quest for nan nomination," Terrell said. "Personally, I judge Trump is going to triumph nan Republican nomination. Like South Carolina, Trump is very celebrated successful Florida."

NIKKI HALEY PLANS 'BIG ANNOUNCEMENT' ABOUT 2024 PRESIDENTIAL BID

Former President Donald Trump, left, and Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, right. (Joe Raedle, Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images)

Even if DeSantis doesn't participate nan race, Terrell said he believes Haley "has perfectly nary chance to triumph nan Republican presidential nomination" and would "lose successful a title to Trump successful her location authorities of South Carolina."

"Trump is highly celebrated successful South Carolina and has a monolithic financial advantage complete Haley," he explained. "He is nan only campaigner that tin telephone for a rally connected a Saturday nighttime successful Iowa and person 35,000 to 40,000 group show up. Nikki Haley does not person a nationalist base. Personally, I judge she is fresh arsenic a spoiler. I deliberation Haley represents a helping of nan Republican constitution that dislikes Trump."

In contrast, different GOP insiders propose Haley's candidacy successful nan title should not beryllium taken lightly by voters.

"Nobody should underestimate Governor Haley. She is simply a reliable campaigner pinch a really bully team. There's nary question that she'll beryllium formidable connected nan statement stage," Alex Conant, a erstwhile communications head for Marco Rubio and partner astatine Firehouse Strategies, told Fox. "I deliberation it's excessively soon to opportunity really DeSantis could effect her — aliases anybody else. These are still very early days."

Lauren Tomlinson, a Republican strategist and partner astatine Steer PR, said she believes Haley's expected announcement "should be welcomed by nan GOP arsenic she will supply an important position connected nationalist information and foreign policy issues."

"As we already see, increasing tensions pinch adversaries will beryllium beforehand and halfway for nan foreseeable future, and Republican candidates will request to show Americans their scheme to protect American nationalist information and economical interests," added Tomlinson, who served arsenic lawman adjunct caput for strategical communications successful nan Department of Homeland Security during nan Trump administration. "It goes without saying that galore much candidates will jump successful nan title complete nan adjacent fewer months, but Haley will person a unsocial expertise to link pinch women successful nan party."

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks astatine a rally for Georgia Senate campaigner Herschel Walker successful Hiram, Georgia connected November 6th, 2022. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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Political pundits person agelong viewed Haley arsenic a imaginable GOP statesmanlike contender, arsenic she crisscrossed nan state nan past 2 years done her governmental group Stand for America, helping chap Republicans moving successful nan 2022 elections. Haley’s travels brought her galore times to Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, which clasp nan first, 2nd and 4th contests successful nan Republican statesmanlike nominating calendar. Haley’s location authorities of South Carolina votes 3rd successful nan GOP superior schedule.

Fox News Digital confirmed that Haley plans to sojourn New Hampshire again conscionable aft Feb. 15, erstwhile she's expected to formally denote her candidacy.

Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this article.