Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, in Dallas for a political rally, said Thursday that she was the last hope Republicans had of beating President Joe Biden in the November election.

“Republicans have lost the last seven out of eight popular votes. That’s nothing to be proud of,” Haley told a large crowd at Gilley’s Dallas. “The only way we’re going to win the majority of Americans is to have a new, generational conservative leader.”

Haley criticized Donald Trump as too risky to be the GOP presidential nominee, saying “chaos follows him” and that polls show he could lose to Biden.

“If anybody wants to get something done, you first have to win,” she said.

“The people of Texas have a choice to make,” Haley added. “Do we want more of the same, or do we want to go in another direction? More of the same is not just Joe Biden. More of the same is Donald Trump.”

Haley is the last major candidate contesting Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, but the path ahead is difficult. Trump has easily won every GOP presidential contest to this point. A new Winthrop University poll has Trump leading Haley by 36 percentage points in South Carolina, where she was once governor, heading toward that state’s Feb. 24 primary.

The March 5 Texas primary is just as daunting. A University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs poll released last month has Trump with a 61 percentage point lead over Haley.

Haley was positive about her predicament, saying she’s done better than the other candidates in the race.

“I just got one more fella I got to catch up to,” she said.

During her speech, Haley said she would restore the middle class, help small businesses, improve health care for veterans and export as much “liquefied gas as we possibly can” to boost the energy sector.

She also called for congressional term limits, the elimination of earmarks, and putting an additional 25,000 federal agents along the southern border with Mexico.

“Instead of catch and release, we’ll go to catch and deport,” she said.

Haley also called for mental competency tests for officials over the age of 75.

“We have people who are 75 who can run circles around us,” she said. “And then we know Joe Biden.”

Haley’s Dallas trip included a fundraiser hosted by real estate developer Harlan Crow, oil and gas producer Ray Lee Hunt and billionaire Trevor Rees-Jones.

Texas Democrats criticized Haley’s fundraiser with Crow.

“In her race towards the bottom with Donald Trump, Haley is fundraising in secret with Harlan Crow – who showered Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with millions of dollars worth of gifts – while trying to spin her extreme anti-abortion record, her ties to notorious election deniers, and her support of gutting Social Security and Medicare,” Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement.

Organizers said nearly 1,000 people attended the rally, where supporters said it was important that Haley remain in the race.

“She’s smart, she’s got common sense and she can lead the nation,” said Diane Lagow, a retiree from Dallas. “She needs to keep speaking positively and don’t let Trump rattle her.”

Lagow’s husband, welder Charles Lagow, said Haley had integrity.

“She needs to keep doing what she’s doing,” he said. “She’s standing for what she believes in, and she conveys that when she talks.”

Douglas Duncan, a 63-year-old Dallasite who works in information technology, said Haley is the best GOP candidate since Ronald Reagan.

“She needs to beat expectations each time until people realize she’s an alternative to Trump,” he said.

Duncan, a Republican, said Haley was a long shot in Texas.

Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton and numerous other elected officials have endorsed Trump.

“I hope she does well, but Trump has this state pretty locked up,” he said.

Philip Huber, a retired physician who lives in Dallas, said he’s an independent voter who supports abortion rights and a ban on military-style weapons for those not in the military.

“It’s hard,” he said when asked what kind of candidate he would support. “I think she would permit pro-choice and I hope that will be a referendum in Texas.”

Haley has called for a “consensus” on the abortion issue. She also said she would support federal restrictions on abortion.

Haley’s speech was interrupted numerous times by protesters against the Israeli-Hamas War.

“You’ve got to give them an A for spirit,” Haley said of the people trying to disrupt her rally. “I’ll give them that.”

Haley’s Texas swing included a visit to the Houston Chronicle’s editorial board. On Friday, she’s scheduled to have a meet-and-greet in San Antonio.

In Dallas, Haley was introduced by former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price.

“We need a strong conservative whose principles stay with her,” Price said. “Nikki can relate to each and every one of you. She has a wonderful American story.”