Washington — Carly Fiorina, the former head of Hewlett-Packard who unsuccessfully ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, plans to vote for Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, over President Trump in November.
"I've been very clear that I can't support Donald Trump," Fiorina said in an interview on The Atlantic's podcast, "The Ticket." "And, you know, elections are binary choices."
When pressed on whether she would be voting for Biden, Fiorina said, "I'm not voting for Trump, but it's a binary choice. So if faced with a binary choice on a ballot: yes."
Fiorina was among the vast field of Republicans, including Mr. Trump, who sought the GOP's presidential nomination in 2016. She suspended her campaign in February 2016 after disappointing finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire. Several months later, though, Senator Ted Cruz, who was still in the race, announced Fiorina would be his running mate if he won the Republican presidential nomination.
But Cruz would go on to drop out of the presidential race after he lost the Indiana primary that May, clearing the way for Mr. Trump to win the Republican nomination.
As a presidential candidate, Mr. Trump frequently hurled insults at his GOP competitors, and he did not spare Fiorina from his criticisms. In 2015, then-candidate Trump insulted her appearance, saying, "Look at that face," according to Rolling Stone. "Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?"
He continued his attacks on Fiorina on Thursday, tweeting, "Failed presidential candidate (thank you President Trump!), Carly Fiorina, said she will be voting for Corrupt Joe Biden. She lost so badly to me, twice in one campaign, that she should be voting for Joe. No complaints!!!"