North Texans seek alternative for Trump or Biden as Nikki Haley campaigns in Dallas

North Texans looking for an alternative to Donald Trump and Joe Biden as president gathered in Dallas Thursday evening to hear from Nikki Haley.

The former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina governor was at Gilley’s Dallas’ South Side Music Hall to address Texans ahead of Super Tuesday on March 5. Early voting starts Tuesday for the Republican and Democratic primaries.

Former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price introduced Haley, the crowd meeting the former governor with cheers as “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” played in the background.

“We’ve defeated a dozen of the fellas,” Haley said. “I’ve just got one more fella I’ve got to catch up to.”

Haley sought to contrast herself from the former president as she encouraged Texans to support her presidential bid.

“I voted for Donald Trump twice,” she said. “I was proud to serve America in his administration. But the truth is, chaos follows him. Everywhere he goes, chaos follows him. And we can’t be a country in disarray and world on fire and go through four more years of chaos.”

A handful of people were in line a little before 5:30 p.m., waiting for doors to open for the campaign event.

Jacob Garza, an Ellis County college student was among them, waiting to see the presidential hopeful speak, rather than studying for an economics exam.

The March primary will be his first time voting in a presidential election. Garza, 20, said he’s an Independent and plans to vote for Haley in the Republican Primary. He’s looking for an alternative to Trump, and was excited to see Haley visit South Dallas.

“In 2020, I actually came to this exact same location to hear out Joe Biden, although I was not able to vote,” Garza said. “And four years later, now, I’m going to listen to Nikki Haley. And really, I know her positions and I’m excited to see the enthusiasm for her, but also as the primary candidate against Trump.”

Sitting in a camping chair ahead of the event, Cathy Hartman of Fort Worth waited to be let in with her 15-year-old grandson. She wants a candidate who is electable and won’t bring divisiveness to the Republican Party.

“Nikki Haley, I think, stands a chance of uniting and not having the rhetoric and the issues that Donald Trump has,” said Hartman, 66. “I feel like she’s highly qualified for the job, and I feel like it is time that we give her a chance to see what she can do in a leadership role.”

Haley’s trip to Texas comes as many elected officials and potential Republican primary voters are supporting Trump’s reelection bid.

Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn and several North Texas congressional representatives support Trump. The former president has has raised $7.2 million in Texas, while has raised Haley’s $4 million, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Trump has a 61 percentage point lead over Haley among likely Texas Republican primary voters, according to a University of Houston poll released in late January. Polls also show her lagging behind Trump in her home state of South Carolina in its Republican Primary on Feb. 24.

People crowded in front of a stage in the Dallas ballroom as they waited to hear Haley’s remark, which were interrupted multiple times by protesters. Several people were removed from the ballroom at multiple points throughout the event, some yelling “Free Palestine!” They continued protesting outside.

As they waited for the speech to begin, Patrick Harris, 23, and Lydia Long, 21, said they see Haley as having the best chance of beating Biden in November.

“I think she appeals more to moderates, and maybe even those on the left,” said Harris.

Tonja Cooper of Garland said she’s always voted Democratic, but is excited for Haley and even signed up at the event to volunteer for her campaign.

“She drew me out of my comfort zone,” Cooper said. “I’m really open-minded to the right person for the job.”

It remains to be see if Haley will have dropped out of the running by the time Super Tuesday comes.

But attendees at the event remained hopeful, if realistic.

“I think the pathway is very narrow,” said Hartman, who plans to vote for Haley in the primary.

How confident was Garza, the Ellis County college student, that Haley will continue her bid?

“Well, I was confident enough to where I’m... spending my Thursday here in line, rather than studying for an exam I have tomorrow,” he said.

Texas Democrats respond to Nikki Haley’s visit

Ahead of her Dallas Rally, Texas Democrats criticized Haley’s stance on abortion policy and fundraising efforts with billionaires like Harlan Crow of Dallas.

“Haley’s long record of support for the extreme MAGA agenda makes it clear: Texans can’t trust her to look out for them and their fundamental freedoms,” Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement Thursday.

In a Tuesday interview with the Star-Telegram, Hinojosa said there’s not a lot of difference between Trump and Haley in terms of policy. The two are different in style, he said.

“One is an insane criminal, and the other one is a person who is a little bit more palatable in terms of how she treats other human beings,” Hinojosa said. “But, this is not a call that’s going to be made by us. It’s going to be a call that’s made by Texas Republicans, and if there’s anybody further to the right than Texas Republicans, I don’t know who is.”

Hinojosa expects Texans will ultimately pick Trump as their nominee.

“I don’t think it makes a difference that she’s here,” he said. “At the end of the day, the Texas Republican Party probably doesn’t think that Nikki Haley is sufficiently right wing for them to support her. I mean, this is not the Republican Party of George W. Bush.”