Nikki Haley should drop out ‘for the good of the country’

GEORGETOWN, South Carolina — Former 2024 presidential candidate Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) ramped up his calls for Nikki Haley to drop her White House bid Thursday, arguing she should do so “for the good of the country.”

Scott, 58, was asked Thursday morning after casting his early vote in the Palmetto State’s presidential primary whether Haley — who first appointed him to the Senate in December 2012 — should step aside “for the good of the party.”

“Well, I think [she should] for the good of the country,” Scott responded.

“I mean, the bottom line is … I made the determination myself back in November that America wanted someone that was more forceful, more provocative, and a little bit more rambunctious to help clean out some of the challenges that are stubborn and persistent in our nation,” added the senator, who endorsed former President Donald Trump following his landslide victory in last month’s Iowa caucus.

“The one person that stands in the way of having a conversation between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is Nikki Haley, and so getting out of the way, is incredibly important, not for the party, but for America’s future.”

Supporters of Haley, 52, told The Post at a Georgetown rally Thursday afternoon that they disagreed with Scott’s demand.

“I liked him when he was running but I disagree with that. She deserves to run as long as she wants to,” Dawn Jones said. “There has not been enough of the country that’s voted yet.”

Another Haley backer, Tom Hubert, had a stronger response.

“Tim always has his opinion, and he’s already flip-flopped once, so who’s to say he’s not going to flip-flop twice before the election?” he said. “Maybe he should side with Nikki and get Donald Trump out of the way.”

Scott dropped out of the race Nov. 12 after failing to gather enough traction in the GOP field.

He told reporters after casting his ballot Thursday that he was more “excited and motivated for President Trump than I was for myself.”

The former president appeared to confirm this week that Scott was on his “short list” of possible options for a running mate.

Trump has also advised Haley to end her campaign, arguing her continued run “hurts” the country and the party.

Haley has resisted calls to drop out of the race, despite her 28-point polling deficit to Trump in her home state. In a Tuesday speech, she stressed she would continue on through the March 5 Super Tuesday contests.