NBC News spoke with sources familiar with the Haley campaign as she prepares to drop out of her presidential campaign in remarks later this morning.
Asked how Haley is doing this morning, a source said she is a “happy warrior” and “has been that the whole time.”
“Last night we were all together watching the returns come in, we were listening to music and having a good time. Our spirits are as high as they can be,” the source said.
Another source directly familiar with the gathering last night told NBC News that the scene at the campaign headquarters involved dinner and music, with a vibe that was “actually upbeat” despite the circumstances.
“Everyone feels they’ve fought for a righteous cause,” the source said.
Although advisers repeat that Haley is a “happy warrior,” people who have known her for years have said she rarely shows her true feelings — which explains, for example, why she became angry with herself for getting choked up a few weeks ago while talking about her husband, Michael, who is on military deployment overseas.
Asked why people in Haley’s circle are “upbeat,” a source said the team “loves each other” and noted that Haley beat 12 other candidates before she became the last woman standing with Trump in the GOP presidential primary race.
“We ran a hard campaign, we ran a smart campaign, we ran a lean campaign, and we are proud of what we did,” the source said.
The source also said when asked about a Haley endorsement that it’s up to Trump “to appeal to those 30-40% that are independent, moderate Republicans, people who feel like the party is pushing them out.”
Regarding her political future, the source said Haley is “young” and has proven she can bring people together while “the other guys can’t,” and is uncertain what the future holds right now.
“But she is going to stay involved and continue talking about the issues that matter to her,” the source said. “But as far as a future run, that’s way out of the picture right now.”
As for Haley’s speech this morning, the sources said she will appear by herself at the podium and won’t be flanked by family or aides.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
