Nikki Haley wins endorsement of ex-Rep. Will Hurd as momentum builds in GOP presidential race

Nikki Haley picked up the endorsement of ex-Rep. Will Hurd in a sign her Republican presidential campaign continued to pick up steam.
The former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina governor won the nod of Hurd, who pulled the plug on a campaign that never really picked up any traction.
Hurd, a former Texas congressman and harsh critic of former President Trump, said Monday it was time for also-ran candidates to unite behind those with a better chance of defeating Trump.
“It is important to recognize the realities of the political landscape and the need to consolidate our party around one person to defeat both Donald Trump and (President Biden),” Hurd said.
He praised Haley as a serious alternative to Trump with the temperament and know-how to lead the U.S. in uncertain times.
“She has shown a willingness to articulate a different vision for the country than Donald Trump and has an unmatched grasp on the complexities of our foreign policy,” Hurd said.
The endorsement was the latest sign of growing momentum behind Haley in the scramble for second place in the GOP presidential primary race behind Trump, who continues to hold a dominant lead over the entire field.
Haley won plaudits for her aggressive performance in the two debates held so far, effectively hitting back at rivals like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and upstart Vivek Ramaswamy.
She has pulled even or ahead of DeSantis in some recent polls of early voting states of New Hampshire and South Carolina, building optimism among supporters and big donors that she could leapfrog the Florida governor and take on Trump directly.
The former president has launched a series of attacks on Haley in recent weeks, branding her “birdbrain.” Trump-watchers say the attacks are a sure sign that he is taking her challenge seriously after training his ire almost exclusively on DeSantis for months.
Haley may also benefit from her extremely hawkish position supporting Israel as it hits back at Gaza after the horrifying Hamas terror attacks over the weekend.
Although all the GOP candidates have lined up behind Israel, Haley has stood out by using her foreign policy chops to make specific policy demands.
In one post, she demanded that Biden ramp up aid to Israel, cut off all aid to Palestinian groups that support the terrorist group Hamas and take a tough line to force Middle Eastern powers to end support for anti-Israel terror like the attacks that killed nearly 1,000 Israelis.
“Israel needs our help in this battle of good vs. evil,” she said.
Haley also attacked Biden for his recent decision to allow Iran to access $6 billion in frozen oil revenue.
She called that move a gift to Hamas because Tehran is one of the main financial backers of the rulers of the Gaza strip and fellow Islamist radical Hezbollah in Lebanon.