Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is seeing a post-debate polling boost. Why? Because she decided to take a more honest tack and speak hard truths to the American people. She didn’t shy away from pointing out that there are difficult problems our country faces and that potential solutions are not without compromise and even potential downsides. In other words, she treated the audience — and, by extension, the American people — like they were adults.

On the topic of abortion, Haley duked it out over whether a federal 15-week abortion ban is something she’d sign if it landed on her hypothetical presidential desk. Haley stood out on this topic in more ways than one. Her position on the subject is one of practicality. As it stands now in the Senate, such a bill is dead in the water. It would need 60 votes. It simply does not have the votes.

She then went on to outline her alternative stance that she has dubbed her “consensus” policy. She advocated for a more incremental push on abortion restrictions based on more universal agreement on the subject. In her own words: “Can’t we all agree that we should ban late-term abortions? Can’t we all agree that we should encourage adoptions? Can’t we all agree that doctors and nurses that don’t believe in abortion shouldn’t have to perform them? Can’t we all agree that contraception should be available? And can’t we all agree that we aren’t going to put a woman in jail or give her the death penalty if she gets an abortion?”

At the first 2024 Republican primary presidential debate in Milwaukee, Nikki Haley and Mike Pence debated a federal abortion ban. pic.twitter.com/TdjdnoBRDx

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) August 24, 2023

Consensus policies are a good way to start if the ultimate goal is to change hearts and minds toward protecting innocent children. It was that incremental push that finally got Roe v. Wade overturned after nearly 50 years.

The bad news? As Florida Governor Ron DeSantis pointed out, the GOP is contending with a Democrat Party that is so radical on the subject that there may not be a way to actually reach a consensus. The Democrat Party’s stance is to oppose all barriers to “reproductive health for women.”

Haley also talked about government spending. She correctly pointed out that it wasn’t just the Democrats who are spending more money than we have; the Republicans are too. She stated: “Donald Trump added $8 trillion to our debt. Our kids are never going to forgive us for this. At the end of the day, you look at the 2024 budget, Republicans asked for $7.4 billion in earmarks. Democrats asked for $2.8 billion. So you tell me, who are the big spenders? I think it’s time for an accountant in the White House.” Her solution: Fiscal responsibility.

Her most lauded moment of the debate dealt with foreign policy. As a former UN ambassador under President Donald Trump, she understands the intricacies of foreign relations a bit better than most of the primary field. She schooled entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and his theories on how to end the war in Ukraine. Ramaswamy wants Ukraine to end the war (i.e., surrender) and give Russia the contested land, and as president he would then convince the Russians to distance themselves from China.

Haley correctly pointed out that a victory for Russia is a corresponding victory for China. That concession would likely lead to China’s invasion of Taiwan — and probably a direct conflict between the U.S. and China.

She went on to accuse Ramaswamy of abandoning Israel. This particular issue is one that shows Ramaswamy’s lack of understanding of the delicate political dance that goes on in the tumultuous Middle East. It was thanks to Trump’s leadership that the Abraham Accords were signed, bringing a measure of peace to the Middle East. Haley ended her upbraiding of Ramaswamy with the comment, “You have no foreign policy experience, and it shows!”

Finally, her most bold move was actually after the debate in the spin room with Fox News personality Sean Hannity. She pointed out the hard truth that Trump’s path to victory in the general election is a dubious one. Americans are not hungry for a Biden/Trump rematch. For starters, Trump faces the extra hurdle of dealing with the several politically motivated court cases brought by election-tampering Democrats instead of campaigning.

Haley emphasized the importance of a GOP win not only to clean up the corruption in the deep state but also to prevent another Biden/Harris term. Whether you agree or not, she says that will be harder if Trump is the nominee.

Haley already had a lane leading up to the debate by being the only female politician in the race, but her forthright stances during the debate (right and wrong) struck a chord with the viewers. There is still a long road ahead to the primaries, and it’s unlikely that Haley overcomes her faults to win the nomination. Yet in many ways, her straightforward approach can’t help but speak to an American people who value honesty from leaders — a quality seriously lacking in politicians in general.