Haley's Bid to Cement Her Influence as a Rising Trump Challenger
Former South Carolina Gov Nikki Haley gains momentum as a rising Trump challenger, attracting increased funding and becoming a major target for other contenders aiming to unseat the former President
Nikki Haleys rise in the GOP presidential race has attracted new financial backing and attention from rivals aiming to unseat former President Donald Trump. However, her allies are looking ahead and emphasizing the importance of exceeding expectations in debates and early primary contests. They believe this will be critical in outlasting other candidates, particularly Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was previously viewed as the primary alternative to Trump before Haley gained momentum in the polls and earned the endorsement of the influential conservative network, Americans for Prosperity Action.
Mark Harris, a top strategist for a pro-Haley super PAC, emphasized the importance of winning in Iowa and the need to increase voter support. He also indicated that they will continue to promote the campaign's positive message and educate voters about Ron. This strategy was evident during Wednesday night's debate as Haley aimed to project confidence and competence.
"I appreciate all the attention, guys. Thank you for that," Haley said with a smile.
According to two Republican sources familiar with their thinking, Haley's team was satisfied with her debate performance, even without a clear standout moment. She doesn't need to dominate a shouting match, these Republicans said. One of the sources explained that Haley and her team "want the segment of primary voters who want normalcy to see that she was being presidential."
"The voters who enjoy the loud arguments… are not really undecided," stated the Republican for Haley.
However, although Haley has openly welcomed support from beyond the faction of the Republican Party aligned with Trump - resources that are likely crucial for moving past Trump - Republicans are questioning whether this support will ultimately harm her.
DeSantis made that a crucial point of attack during Wednesday night's event.
"Admittedly, she has gained popularity, which is commendable, but not among conservatives," stated Roy Bailey, a prominent fundraiser for DeSantis. "Conservatives prevail in Republican primaries, not moderates like Romney. She needed to be exposed on that."
Bailey pointed out that while her donors may be able to provide financial support, they cannot secure her votes. During the debate, Haley reiterated her willingness to accept donations from all donors, including Democrats. Notably, top Democratic donor Reid Hoffman announced his support for a super PAC backing Haley. Despite this, the former South Carolina governor emphasized that her conservative beliefs would not be compromised. However, a seasoned Republican strategist cautioned that such comments could negatively impact Haley's standing among non-Trump candidates in the long term.
"The comments made by Haley last night about accepting money from anyone will have consequences," the strategist stated. "She is advocating for non-Republicans to participate in Republican caucuses and primaries, which will not be well-received." The strategist was emphasizing Haley's strong desire to gain support from New Hampshire undeclared voters who are eligible to participate in the Republican primary.
In response to Haley's growing influence, DeSantis has been emphasizing his conservative qualifications.
The day after the debate, he appeared on Fox News and swiftly shifted from discussing his conflicting views with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on sending troops to the war in Gaza to his stance on gender transition surgery. He aimed to highlight the differences between himself, Haley, and Christie.
"I introduced a bill in Florida to prohibit gender mutilation of minors," asserted the Florida governor, reiterating disputed claims by most major medical associations that gender affirming care is considered mutilation. Gender affirming care, a comprehensive approach to aid a person's transition from their assigned gender at birth, is endorsed by most major medical associations.
Republican strategist Gail Gitcho noted that despite Haley's conservative alignment, some Republicans are portraying her as a moderate. Moving forward, Haley must overcome the perception that she is unable to appeal to the primary voters and donors necessary to secure the nomination.
Gitcho also highlighted some debate analyses that characterized Haley's performance as lacking.
During a recent interview on Thursday, Gitcho, a veteran of numerous past presidential campaigns, noted the relative nature of the recent debates. Despite Governor Haley appearing slightly unprepared, the determination of her male counterparts to challenge her spoke volumes. Gitcho also emphasized the underestimation of Governor Haley, reflecting on her past actions, including wearing a shirt that read "underestimate me, that will be fun." Despite any initial setbacks, Gitcho expressed confidence that Governor Haley would not allow herself to be caught off guard again.
