Nikki Haley has the makings of an appealing national candidate. At 51, she's older than Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), 44, a likely contender, but a generation younger than either former President Donald Trump, 76, or President Joe Biden, 80. 

Elected governor of South Carolina after service in the state legislature, Haley knows the nooks and crannies of state government. Technically, that makes her an "outsider," good positioning for a Republican candidate. Haley’s time as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations widened her perspective. But it also tied her to Trump, a jagged sword that cuts both ways.

Haley ran for governor in 2010 at the urging of then-Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC). She was polling last in the primary until Sarah Palin, the former GOP vice presidential candidate, endorsed her. Haley won the general election by 4 points, becoming the nation’s second Indian American governor after Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal. She was reelected four years later with 56% of the vote. Haley gained national attention in 2015 when, in the wake of the Charleston church shooting that took the lives of nine African Americans, she announced her support for removing the Confederate flag from the grounds of her state Capitol.

While governor, Haley appointed Tim Scott to fill a U.S. Senate vacancy, making him South Carolina’s first African American senator. Scott, incidentally, is contemplating his own presidential bid, one that could split Haley’s home base. Playing presidential politics in 2016, Haley endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) for the GOP nomination and fiercely attacked Trump. When Rubio withdrew, she then endorsed Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). She backed Trump in the general election but said she was "not a fan."

In 2017, Trump appointed Haley as U.N. ambassador, a surprise, given her earlier opposition to the new president. Ever since, Haley has gone back and forth on the 45th president, causing whiplash to those following her moves. She even promised she wouldn’t run for president if he ran. How will Haley handle Trump in 2024?

We got a glimpse when Haley tied Trump and Biden together during her announcement speech: "America is not past its prime. It’s just that our politicians are past theirs." She then demanded mandatory competency tests for politicians over 75. Haley also went after Trump’s electability, which could be his Achilles' heel. She pointed out that Republicans have lost the popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections. It was a veiled warning about the risky consequences of a third Trump nomination.

Haley also attacked "identity politics” and rejected the idea that America is a racist country. She stressed that she is neither black nor white. Her campaign video took a visual shot at the 1619 Project, sponsored by the New York Times, which has attempted to reframe history by elevating the role of slavery and race in America’s founding.

Can Haley win? 

By any measure, Haley starts off her national candidacy as a long shot without a strong base. She must quickly raise a lot of money, sharpen blurry messaging, jack up low poll standings, and build organizations in key states. 

She's probably the 2024 front-runner. Albeit for the Republican vice presidential nominee slot.

Ron Faucheux is a nonpartisan political analyst and writer. He publishes  LunchtimePolitics.com , a nationwide newsletter on polls and public opinion. He’s the author of Running for Office.