Presidential hopeful Nikki Haley rallies voters in Myrtle Beach

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WCSC) - Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley returned to the Lowcountry Monday as part of her campaign for president.

The republican presidential candidate held the rally in the democrat’s first voting state to target her supporters in Myrtle Beach after wrapping up a tour through Iowa.

While at Horry-Georgetown Technical College’s Grand Strand campus, Haley shared hopes of a better future for the U.S. with a new generation of leaders in Washington, D.C.

Haley touched on how the country is doing with education and what she calls “woke” programs that students are exposed to.

“It is not the place of schools to talk to our kids about gender or any of that,” Haley said.

She also discussed the country’s economic situation and national debt.

“Do what we did in South Carolina and balance a budget you do it at home,” Haley said. “There’s no reason Congress shouldn’t balance a budget.”

The former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations shared how she would improve foreign policy.

“We will stop giving money to countries that hate America,” Haley said.

Haley proposed term limits and mental competency tests in Washington. Saying, right now, she is in her prime.

“Let me take a point of personal privilege because I am in my prime,” Haley said.

More than 500 people showed up in support of Haley winning the Presidential nomination. The crowd came prepared with campaign signs and was active with its cheering when she would talk about her main points - faith, family and country.

Throughout many chants of “USA!” that came from the crowd, Haley’s supporters were very reactive to her statements. They cheered when she would talk about closing the borders and limiting what children are taught in school when it comes gender. The crowd booed when Haley mentioned how much money the U.S. has spent with COVID stimulus money.

Outside of the rally, the South Carolina Democratic Party Chair, Trav Robertson, Jr., released a statement in response to the campaign event.

“One month since jumping into the 2024 GOP primary, Nikki Haley is bringing her MAGA agenda back to South Carolina today. From calling for cuts to Social Security and Medicare to tying herself at the hip to Donald Trump’s extreme record, Haley’s campaign so far has made it clear that she believes her only path is to out-MAGA her potential opponents.”

“There is no more time that we need to be sending money to any enemies,” Haley said. “It’s weakness. It shows the United States to be oblivious. And we got to make sure that we take care of the backs of our allies, but we never give money to enemies. So, we’ve got to put an end to that.”

Haley says she wants people to work as hard for her now as when she ran for governor because that race was also not easy. She says she has never lost a race and she is not going to start now.

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