Opinion: President Haley — is it possible?

I’m a sociologist, not a political scientist. I’m a political observer, not a political pundit. So, my thoughts about the upcoming elections, both the primaries and the general election, are speculations based on hunches that are not backed by substantial academic inquiry.

It seems to me that there are considerable percentages of people who are not satisfied with the presumed candidates of either the Republican or Democratic Parties. However, within the Democratic Party, there has been no challenge to the sitting President’s bid for a second term. But within the Republican Party, Nikki Haley has committed to remain in the race through Super Tuesday, which is just three days away.

Decision time

Whatever happens in the primary elections on the Democratic side of this campaign season seems to be inconsequential because President Joe Biden is the presumptive candidate for the November general election. The Republican primary results, however, could dramatically change a pattern that is at least a century old, regardless of the fact that Donald Trump seems to have the candidacy wrapped up. That century-old pattern is that either a Democrat or a Republican has always emerged as the next President of the United States.