During a New Hampshire rally on Monday, Nikki Haley, a 52-year-old GOP presidential contender, encountered an unexpected interruption to her speech. A pro-Trump heckler in the crowd interrupted her discourse at the Artisan Hotel in Salem to pose an impromptu question: "Will you marry me?" Amid laughter from the audience, Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and currently married to Maj. Michael Haley, handled the situation with grace, according to the New York Post.
Addressing the tongue-in-cheek proposal, Haley responded promptly by humorously inquiring if the suitor would consider casting his vote in her favor. The interruption occurred while Haley was addressing her supporters and discussing the significant issues at stake in the upcoming election on the eve of the New Hampshire primary.
"I'm voting for Trump," the man replied after a brief pause, drawing jeers from his fellow rally attendees.
"Oh, get out of here!" an unimpressed Haley shot back.
Ms Haley is the last standing rival to front-runner Donald Trump in the race to secure the party's nomination to challenge President Joe Biden in November's election.
Ms Haley has repeatedly said she is not running for second place in the Republican primary but had previously declined to specifically comment on whether she would be the former president's running mate.
According to the Washington Post polls, Donald Trump commands a significant lead with 52% support, while former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley trails at 34% in the presidential race.
The latest CNN/UNH poll shows a notable increase in support for both Mr Trump and Ms Haley compared to early January figures. In the earlier poll, Mr Trump held 39% support, and Ms Haley stood at 32%. The consolidation of the field, with major contenders quitting the race, has fueled the rise in support for both candidates. Despite Nikki Haley's considerable gains since late summer, Mr Trump maintains a formidable lead, widening the gap to a double-digit margin.
