Bingo, Nandkishor, you're spot on. Only two Republican candidates were running for president: Trump and DeSantis. The rest were running for vice president, a cabinet position, a lucrative Fox News job, or a podcast, book deal, and higher speaking fees. Nikki Haley dropped those goals only after feeling compelled to get tough on Trump. In so doing, she forfeited her shot at being his vice president. Now she's running for president - in 2028. (In other words, she knows she doesn't have a chance this time, so she's positioning to be a competitor next time.)