Anti-Trump Ex-Republican Endorses Nikki Haley

Nikki Haley secured the endorsement of former Republican Bill Kristol just a day before the Iowa caucuses.

In his endorsement, Kristol stated that he’d be rewinding his decision to not be a Republican anymore to vote for Haley had he been an Iowan.

In his words, “I’m an ex-Republican. But if I were an Iowan, I’d be crossing back over to vote for Haley Monday. Voting against Trump in Republican caucuses and primaries is the most effective way—and a legal and legitimate way—to oppose Trump this winter and spring.”

I’m an ex-Republican. But if I were an Iowan, I’d be crossing back over to vote for Haley Monday.

Voting against Trump in Republican caucuses and primaries is the most effective way—and a legal and legitimate way—to oppose Trump this winter and spring. https://t.co/6fPVqhbeje

— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) January 14, 2024

Kristol has long been a critic of Trump since the GOP presidential candidate had a fall-out with former Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in 2015. He has since then become a leading voice of Republican opposition, as he condemns the party for standing with Trump.

He has gone as far as publicly calling for Republicans to switch parties in order to influence primaries and ensure Trump does not win. He has also expressed a willingness to join a military coup against the former president if that will keep him away.

Before his support for Haley, Kristol previously hinted at support for Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last March. In 2022, he compared left-wing musician John Legend to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting that Democrats bring him in the loop to serve as President Joe Biden’s replacement.

“I’ve been saying for a while that we need as our next president our version of the admirable Volodymyr Zelensky. Today I got another ‘personal message’ — i.e., mass e-mail — from @johnlegend on behalf of Democrats. Which leads me to ask: When Biden steps aside — John Legend in 2024?” he asked.

In 2020, he said during an interview with the Washington Post that the Republican Party will be “an unhealthy party” as long as there is no “explicit repudiation of Trump.”

“But having said that, we’re really going to pay a price for this terrible failure in leadership. Probably three years ago, I was a little more, Look, the institutions are strong, and they will beat him back. But watching the way in which he has corroded the constraints on him within the government and gotten rid of various guardrails and corrupted certain institutions, it reminds you that four years — four years is a lot better than eight years, but it can still do quite a lot of damage,” he added.