Nikki Haley, who has endorsed Marco Rubio as presidential nominee, asserted that the Florida Senator is the right person to defeat the Democratic presidential nominee and lead the country. (Reuters file photo)
Highlights
- Governor Nikki Haley: Donald Trump can't beat Hillary Clinton in polls
- Haley has endorsed Marco Rubio as Republican US presidential nominee
- Haley: Rubio is the right person to beat Clinton, be next US President
Nikki Haley, South Carolina's Indian-American Governor, today described Donald Trump's behaviour as "unacceptable" and said the Republican front-runner is unlikely to defeat Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the November general elections.
Ms Haley, who has endorsed Marco Rubio as presidential nominee, asserted that the Florida Senator is the right person to defeat the Democratic presidential nominee and lead the country.
Mr Rubio, who has emerged as the GOP's establishment candidate is campaigning in this important state of Virginia, hoping to make an impressive win in some of the 11 States where the Republican Party's primaries are scheduled to be held on Tuesday.
"Donald Trump is everything we hear and teach our kids not to do in kindergarten. And we have seen this behaviour over and over again that's unacceptable. And I think what we saw from Marco is exactly what we tell our children also, if a bully hits you, you hit back," Ms Haley told the ABC News in an interview on Sunday morning.
"I think he (Rubio) hit back and he showed that's he's willing to lead. He's willing to fight. And he's going to have the passion to do it," Ms Haley said, referring to the strong verbal dual unleashed by Mr Rubio over the last few days against Mr Trump.
"And you look at all these issues, this is one more project that Donald Trump is doing. Trump University, Trump Vodka, Trump Airlines, Trump Mortgage all failed projects. This is one more project. And we're really concerned about where that's going to be. And I think it's right for Marco to bring those things out and to keep on bringing those out," she said.
Ramping up the ante against Mr Trump, Mr Rubio has described the New York billionaire as a cone artist and dangerous for the party.
"What I will tell you is, Donald Trump can't be Hillary Clinton. His negatives are so high, his cap is at 35 per cent. It is impossible for him to win a general. And so that's why we've said Marco Rubio is the only one that can defeat Donald Trump. And Marco Rubio can beat Hillary Clinton and will win in November," Ms Haley told the ABC News.
Ms Haley who is rated very high across the nation and is seen as a potential vice presidential candidate asserted that Mr Rubio is drawing a large number of supporters across the Super Tuesday States.
Mr Trump, who has been drawing thousands of people at his election rallies, slammed Mr Rubio as weak.
"I think he's a lightweight. He couldn't get elected dog catcher because to Florida, he's going to lose big league. He is not liked in Florida. He abandoned Florida. He deceived and defrauded Florida. He said he was going to be a senator, and that's the last thing -- he doesn't even show up to meetings," Mr Trump told 'Fox News Sunday' in an interview.
"I think he's a guy who thinks he's hot stuff. He's not hot stuff. But he is I call him little Marco. That's what he is, he's little Marco," Mr Trump said alleged that the fist fight between the two Republican presidential candidates scaled a new height on Sunday, two days ahead of the Super Tuesday when Republican presidential primaries would be held in 11 States.
Latest polls shows that Mr Trump is leading in 10 of the 11 States and in Texas he is giving a tough fight to Senator Ted Cruz in his home state.
Even as Mr Rubio is not seen winning in any of the 11 states, if the latest polls are to be believed, party establishment rallied behind him hoping that the Florida Senator would stop the Mr Trump bandwagon.
"I really believe that voters would see through this con job that he's trying to do, and, obviously, that hasn't happened. He's convinced a lot of people," Mr Rubio said appearing on the same Sunday talk show.
"I believe a first rate con artist is on the verge of taking over the party of Lincoln and Reagan. And, now or never, we need to remind people of what's at stake here. We're about to lose the conservative movement to someone who's not a conservative and the party of Lincoln and Reagan to a con artist," Mr Rubio warned.
"This is a guy -- you talked about Trump University earlier in your programme -- who went to people that were trying to improve their lives and convinced them to come into this program he created. They paid thousands of dollars, and they got nothing for it," he alleged.
"Now, he's trying to pull the ultimate con job, and that is to get ahold of the United States of America. And so he's gone to all these struggling Americans who are really hurting economically and he's preying upon those fears and those anxieties they have to get them to give him his vote. And he's been successful," he said.
"This has to end. We cannot allow this guy to become the Republican nominee. The Democrats will tear him to shreds and we're going to lose the party and the conservative movement, but more importantly, the election. And that means America's going to stay on the road it's on right now, which is the road of decline," Mr Rubio said.
Mr Trump claimed that Mr Rubio's allegations are baseless and called for a change in liable laws so that media outlets can't write alleged false stories.