Haley’s campaign touts post-debate momentum and knocks rivals in memo
Mabinty Quarshie
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A memo from Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley‘s campaign manager took aim at three of her 2024 rivals, along with lauding Haley as the candidate best suited to defeat former President Donald Trump in the GOP primary and then defeat President Joe Biden next year.
Campaign manager Betsy Ankney called out Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and former biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy for their imitation of Trump, the front-runner in the primary race, after touting Haley’s post-GOP primary debate performance in a memo sent to donors this week.
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“Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy fall all over themselves to copy Trump on everything from policy to his leadership style. From DeSantis’s ‘territorial dispute’ comments to, well, everything about Ramaswamy, both seem to think copying Trump is the path to success,” Ankney wrote. “Meanwhile, Nikki is blazing her own path … like she always has. Where she agrees with Trump, she says so. Where she disagrees, she says that, too.”
The memo outlines Haley’s criticisms of Trump “for lacking moral clarity on China,” her attacks on both Republicans and Democrats for increasing the nation’s spending, and laying out a path forward for the GOP on abortion. “Her opponents have done none of that. Some run as ‘Trump-lite,’ while others throw rocks at Trump to win points in the media,” Ankney continued. “All are wrong, all will fail, and all show a lack of leadership. Nikki stands alone as the candidate with the backbone and vision to lead the Republican Party into the future.”
Trump’s support among Republican primary voters in early nominating states is roughly 40%, meaning almost 60% of the base wants another candidate to support, according to Ankney. Haley, who has seen her support rise after a breakout performance during last month’s primary debate, is positioning herself as the candidate who can defeat both Trump and Biden.
The former president, who skipped the debate, has not seen his dominant lead in the primary abate since facing multiple indictments stemming from four criminal cases. In several national polls, he leads all other rivals, often by more than 40 percentage points.
However, Haley’s campaign is directly pointing out her viability to winning the nomination in comparison to DeSantis, who had positioned himself as a Trump-like candidate without the legal dramas that surround the former president.
“While much focus is on the Republican primary, let’s not forget the ultimate goal: defeating Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” Ankney wrote. “Remember when Ron DeSantis presented himself as a more electable version of Donald Trump? Last December, his image in the Wall Street Journal poll among registered voters nationwide was 43/39. Today, DeSantis’s image in the latest Wall Street Journal poll is an abysmal 37/55, moving from +4 to -18, and just a hair better than Trump’s terrible 39/58 image.”
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Ankney also cited polling from the Trump and DeSantis campaigns in Iowa and New Hampshire that showed Haley’s stock rising among Republican voters and gaining on DeSantis. “A poll conducted by an independent group in New Hampshire shows Nikki tied with DeSantis for second,” she wrote. “Keep in mind that at this point, DeSantis’s side has spent over $17 million on air, and there has been roughly $5 million spent on Nikki’s behalf.”
Haley’s campaign has championed the growing crowds at her campaign rallies and fundraising hauls after the first debate as a sign of the momentum on Haley’s side. As the campaigns prepare for the second primary debate later this month and barrel toward the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses, Haley will need to prove that she can maintain the stamina, support, and energy required ultimately to dethrone Trump for the nomination.