From Fortune:

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was questioned about the cause of the Civil War, at a New Hampshire town hall and did not mention slavery in her response.

The voter seemed “astonished” by Haley’s omission of slavery and asked her to explain what caused the Civil War – in which she replied with a non-specific comment regarding government and individual freedoms.

After the voter seemed disapproving of her answer, Haley responded with a dismissive retort and changed the subject.

During the 2024 Republican presidential nomination campaign, Haley has consistently placed as a distant second behind Donald Trump.

Her campaign has not responded to the controversy over her remarks. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s campaign recirculated video of the exchange and added the comment, “Yikes.”

Haley has been criticized for previous statements regarding the Confederate flag and other Civil War issues. She faced controversy during her time as South Carolina’s governor regarding her response to the shooting of Black church members by a white gunman.

The Ordinance of Secession that led South Carolina to secede from the Union in 1860 unequivocally mentions slavery as a primary reason for the action.

Haley’s response was heavily criticized by politicians, including South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain and current Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Jaime Harrison. Spain called Haley “vile” and said she is “just as MAGA as Trump,” while Harrison said Haley’s statements were not surprising due to her prior history as South Carolina governor.

Neither Haley nor her representatives have commented.



Read more: Nikki Haley was asked what caused the Civil War. She didn’t say ‘slavery’