Nikki Haley looks to lasso votes at Fort Worth Stockyards before ...

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Nikki Haley - Figure 1
Photo CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

By Jack Fink

March 4, 2024 / 10:35 PM CST / CBS Texas

Will Nikki Haley's campaign stop in Fort Worth be a Super Tuesday game-changer?

Will Nikki Haley's campaign stop in Fort Worth be a Super Tuesday game-changer? 02:39

FORT WORTH - Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley came to the Fort Worth Stockyards Monday night hoping to lasso the votes she needs to stay in the race for the White House.

She's trailing former President Donald Trump in the primary polls in Texas and other states.

In the Super Tuesday primary, Mr. Trump could get very close to winning the delegates needed to become the nominee.

CBS News Texas asked Haley if this is now or never for her. 

"I always tell everybody in a general election we're given a choice," Haley said. "In a primary, we make our choice. This is the time for Texans to make their choice. We're running through the tape. We've been in ten states the last five days, hitting as many Super Tuesday states as we can, and I think we have a country to save."

Haley spoke before a standing-room-only crowd of hundreds of supporters at Tannahill's Tavern and Music Hall.

She's hoping to build momentum after winning the Republican primary in Washington, D.C. Sunday, and becoming the first woman to win a Republican primary. 

Haley told the crowd this race isn't personal for her because she twice voted for Mr. Trump, and she served as his Ambassador to the United Nations, after serving as South Carolina's Governor.

A variety of her supporters at the rally acknowledged the primary polls but said they don't matter. They're voting for Haley anyway.

Cathy Hartman, a Fort Worth Republican said, "I was a 2016 and 2020 Trump supporter. I volunteered for him, and I feel his style is done. He's divisive and I don't think he can pull this country together where I think Nikki Haley could."

Aaron Goodman, a Republican who recently moved back to Texas said, "She's different, she's not a repeat of what we had in 2016 and 2020 and she has a really good handle on the Israel-Hamas conflict."

Both said they'll vote for Mr. Trump in November if he's the Republican nominee.

There are 865 Republican delegates up for grabs in Texas and 14 other states on Tuesday, and 1,215 delegates are needed for the Republican nomination.

Trump has 244 now, and Haley has 43.

Haley said she will return to her home state of South Carolina Tuesday to watch the election results come in.

Watch Eye On Politics at 7:30 Sunday mornings on CBS News Texas on air and streaming. Follow Jack on X. 

In: Texas Politics Instagram Texas Primary Election Nikki Haley North Texas Fort Worth

Jack Fink

Jack Fink covers politics for KTVT-TV CBS 11 and has been with the station since September 2003.

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