Nikki Haley, a former governor of South Carolina and past official in the Trump administration, has announced she is running for the Republican presidential nomination, and at an event in South Carolina this week associated with her campaign kick-off, she pushed the idea of mandatory tests of mental aptitude for those at least holding elected office while over the age of 75.
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), who’s 75, wasn’t particularly impressed. “I think she should test her own mental competency,” Hirono said. “Come on, how many times has she said she’s fighting Trump, and then the next thing you know, she’s kissing his ring?” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) was also dismissive when asked, although he declined to comment much on the substance. Republicans themselves were also sometimes not exactly enthused at the idea. “I think you need to look at my last election,” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who is near 90, said. “People knew me and my age, and I won by 15%. The people know that I’m in a position to do the work.” (Grassley’s recap of his winning margin is rounded up.)
Both Trump and Biden would be over the age of 75 at their 2025 inauguration if either wins the presidential race in 2024, although it’s also not entirely clear Haley is sticking that closely to even going after Trump, who at this point is by far her main competitor. Asked this week on Fox News about how she thought Trump would fare if subjected to such a test, she suggested he’d do fine, which doesn’t exactly sound like somebody that committed to actually beating him! She also jabbed at Joe Biden, against whom she is not currently running. Is she just angling to be Trump’s pick for VP? On the other side, Trump doesn’t seem that concerned about Haley’s candidacy. Polls have shown her levels of support in the single digits, while Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis, who hasn’t even announced a campaign but may do so, has routinely finished close to — or ahead of — Trump.
Trump claimed on his knock-off social media site Truth Social that he picked Haley as ambassador to the United Nations as a “favor” to South Carolina residents to get her out of South Carolina state politics. With Haley apparently unwilling to substantively challenge Trump’s fitness for office no matter his suggestions for policy moves like firing missiles into Mexico, it’s clear the jabs are mostly going one way. “The greatest thing Nikki Haley did for our Country, and the Great State of South Carolina, was accepting the position of United Nations Ambassador so that the incredible then Lieutenant Governor, Henry McMaster, could be Governor of South Carolina, where he has done an absolutely fantastic job,” Trump said. “That was a big reason why I appointed Nikki to the position—It was a favor to the people I love in South Carolina!”
McMaster remains the governor of South Carolina and, like fellow South Carolina politician Sen. Lindsey Graham (R), is supporting Trump’s 2024 bid for president. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), a past ally to Trump who even pushed the imposition of martial law as Trump clamored for another term despite losing, is supporting Haley’s campaign for president.
