Republican Nikki Haley is Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker鈥檚 pick for president of the United States.
鈥淢y support for Gov. Haley is simple,鈥� Parker said. 鈥淗er message is about inspiration. It is about the future of this country. She inspires me, she inspires you, to be better together.鈥�
Parker took the stage at Tannahill鈥檚 Tavern and Music Hall on the eve of Super Tuesday to stump for a candidate she said has 鈥渄one it all.鈥� She referenced Haley鈥檚 experience as South Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador, as well as her experience as a mother.
鈥淟et鈥檚 be clear, she doesn鈥檛 have to do this job,鈥� Parker said. 鈥淪he gets up every single day. She鈥檚 been to over 10 states in five days, because she wants you to be able to say, 鈥業 pick Nikki Haley.鈥欌��
Parker wasn鈥檛 the only Fort Worth politician in the wings to support Haley. Former Mayor Betsy Price and joined Parker on stage to cheer for her. Steve Murrin, a longtime Fort Worth businessman involved in the preservation of the Stockyards, was also in attendance.
Haley is former President Trump鈥檚 only remaining challenger for the Republican Party nomination. Though currently trailing far behind Trump, who has 244 delegates to her 43, Haley won her first primary win in D.C. a day before her Fort Worth rally. Tannahill鈥檚 onsite staff estimated around 500 people were in attendance.
鈥淚 defeated a dozen of the fellas,鈥� Haley said. 鈥淚 just have one more fella I gotta catch up to.鈥�
In Texas, that is expected to prove difficult. Public opinion polling shows state Republicans by about eight times over Haley.
Locally, top elected officials are split in their opinions of the two Republican primary contestants. While Parker and Price supported Haley, Tarrant County Judge Tim O鈥橦are ahead of the March 5 election. Tarrant County Republican Party Chair Bo French has also endorsed Trump and as 鈥渢ypical of establishment Republicans.鈥� Outside of Tannahill鈥檚, a group of Trump supporters waved flags as rally attendees exited.
鈥淚n a general election, we鈥檙e given a choice,鈥� Haley said. 鈥淚n a primary, we make our choice.鈥�
The Fort Worth rally was the second time Haley visited North Texas this campaign cycle; in February, she visited Dallas. Haley emphasized fiscal responsibility, energy dominance and border security in an hourlong speech.
鈥淭his comes down to the issues, this comes down to, 鈥榃hat do we really care about?鈥� You don鈥檛 have to turn on the news to know how tough things are.鈥�
Haley said while she鈥檇 love to blame federal budget issues on current Democratic President Joe Biden, he isn鈥檛 the only one who holds responsibility.
鈥淚鈥檝e always spoken the hard truth,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 going to do that with you today. Donald Trump and all Republicans did that to us.鈥�
At the rally, Haley hammered on several issues to distinguish herself as the better candidate. Among them was her support for the military; Haley鈥檚 husband, Michael, is currently deployed to Africa by the Army National Guard. Trump previously that Michael should 鈥渃ome back home to help save her dying campaign.鈥�
Sharon Hoffman, a rally attendee, said Haley鈥檚 support of military personnel is a key factor in her vote. Hoffman said her son is heading to bootcamp in two months ahead of his first deployment. While she doesn鈥檛 agree with all of her policies, Haley鈥檚 intelligence and demeanor appealed to her.
鈥淭he fact that she鈥檚 of my generation 鈥� she has kids my kids age 鈥� means a lot to me,鈥� Hoffman said. 鈥淚 think she鈥檚 just wicked smart.鈥�
A resident of Prosper, Hoffman said Parker鈥檚 support of Haley was 鈥渁wesome.鈥�
鈥淚 was familiar with Mayor Price, but I wasn鈥檛 familiar with her,鈥� she said. 鈥淪he was great.鈥�
Rally interrupted by protesters
Haley鈥檚 speech was interrupted periodically by protesters calling for a ceasefire of the Israel-Palestine war. Multiple protesters were escorted or forcibly pushed out by Fort Worth police officers and other security officers.
鈥淣ikki Haley, you support genocide,鈥� two protesters shouted, quickly followed by Haley supporters drowning them out with shouts of their own. Other protesters shouted, 鈥淔ree Palestine!鈥� and 鈥淪top arming Israel!鈥�
Haley paused as protesters were removed.
鈥淚 want to remind all of you, don鈥檛 get mad at them,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ecause my husband and his military brothers and sisters sacrifice every day for their right to be able to do that.鈥�
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