Nikki Haley was across the Potomac from Virginia Wednesday, a day after the shocking gubernatorial victory by political outsider Glenn Youngkin over Democrat Terry McAuliffe.
The former UN ambassador celebrated Republican electoral triumphs in the Commonwealth by giving the annual “Margaret Thatcher Freedom Lecture” at the Heritage Foundation.
Thank you to @Heritage for giving me the honor of delivering the 2021 Margaret Thatcher Freedom Lecture.
We can learn a lot from Thatcher's example moral conviction to stop America from heading down the road to socialism. pic.twitter.com/lt3rsznpkb
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) November 4, 2021
“This is parents’ way of telling government: Don’t mess with our kids,” Haley claimed, in response to the voting results. “It is people who are done with all the culture wars, and see the ridiculousness of it.”
Retired businessman Youngkin’s defeat of a lifelong politician in the highly followed race Tuesday was driven mainly by a parental rebellion against delusional school boards and selfish teachers unions. Republicans also won races for lieutenant governor and attorney general, and reclaimed control of the Virginia House of Delegates.
The potential 2024 presidential candidate believes the series of wins sends a message to the current president that he “needs to quit listening to the Squad and start looking at conservatism.”
This clip from Virginia will become the subject of nightmares. (via @TelemundoNews) pic.twitter.com/BAYnWLvEa2
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) November 3, 2021
Haley cautioned Republicans not to become complacent and instead focus on the tasks at hand, including pushing back against ongoing socialism from Democrats.
“This is about connecting with every single person. This is about making sure everyone knows that our solutions are the right ones, and we are going to lift up everyone,” the first female governor of South Carolina explained. “Because what they are doing is, they are trying to take us down the track of socialism. That’s not what America wants. America doesn’t want government telling them how to live. America doesn’t want them telling who will be successful and who won’t.”
Later in her 26 minutes of remarks, she emphasized the vital role that the United States plays on the global stage, saying, “When America speaks, the world listens. When America leads, the world follows. What America does, the rest of the world wants to be. That’s amazing. We should embrace that. We should hone in on that. And we have that opportunity.”
Haley also criticized those in America who continue to conduct business with Chinese Communists.
“The pandemic proved that we can never be dependent on our biggest enemy for medicine. The same is true for advanced technology and security systems,” she said, arguing that to champion capitalism is not the same as relying on Beijing. “That’s just common sense.”
Haley campaigned this fall in person for New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, who ran an unexpectedly razor-close race against incumbent New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.
Haley helped raise more than $1 million for Virginia candidates, including $400,000 for Youngkin via her political action committee, which also released an ad supporting Virginia parents.
“Look, we are not a perfect country,” she concluded, before a question-and-answer session. “We have our scars. We have the scars of slavery. We have the scars of the fact that women were held back. But we have overcome those scars. So, when we teach history, teach the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful. That’s what we need to be teaching. That’s the only way we will learn.”
Related: Nikki Haley Condemns Biden
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