Nikki Haley is the future, according to Judge Judy: "She is whip smart."

Judge Judy, famously known as Judge Judith Sheindlin, is backing Nikki Haley in the 2024 presidential election.

"Nikki Haley is a whip-smart, experienced executive with a proven track record as a successful governor. She has international gravitas as the former US Ambassador to the United Nations and is known for being principled, measured, and possessing real common sense. I am proud to endorse her because I believe she has the potential to restore America and is the future of this great nation."

Haley returned the compliment, calling the judge a "no-nonsense lady."

Haley expressed her gratitude in a press release, stating, "Judge Judy is a respected figure who has earned the admiration of millions of Americans through her thoughtful, fair, and honest courtroom demeanor. I am honored to have her support."

In the past month, Haley, a former two-term South Carolina governor who later served as ambassador to the United Nations in former President Trump's administration, has caught up with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the latest Iowa polls, and in national surveys, for a distant second place behind Trump.

In New Hampshire, which hosts the country's first primary, Haley is now in second place behind Trump.

""We can sense the energy and enthusiasm," Haley stated in a Planet Chronicle interview this weekend."

For 25 years, Sheindlin starred on the beloved show "Judge Judy," earning millions of dedicated fans with her witty retorts in the courtroom. Now, she is the presiding judge on Amazon Freevee's "Judy Justice," which has become Freevee's No. 1 original show with more than 150 million viewers over the past two years.

Sheindlin, a New York Law School graduate, was appointed to the Family Court bench in New York City in 1982 and later became the Supervising Judge of the Manhattan Court in 1986.

On Monday, Haley took part in a Planet Chronicle town hall and highlighted her foreign policy expertise while criticizing President Biden's policies for making America vulnerable and putting it at risk. She also accused both Trump and DeSantis of misrepresenting her comments on illegal immigration and Hillary Clinton to portray her as a liberal, arguing that her opponents are distorting her words to undermine her rising popularity.

She stated that the Supreme Court should allow Trump to remain on the ballot, as she intends to defeat him fairly and without assistance from Democrats in Colorado and other states.

"Haley stated that the Supreme Court should not remove Trump from the ballot and should act quickly before other states follow suit. She emphasized that this is a door that should not be opened, as she will defeat Trump fairly and squarely without anyone interfering with the election process."

The Iowa caucuses take place on January 15.

Planet Chronicle' Paul Steinhauser and Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.