Nikki Haley, who once served as U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina governor, received a major endorsement from one of the biggest conservative activist groups in the country, Americans for Prosperity (AFP), on Tuesday. The endorsement adds another layer of complexity to the current Republican presidential primary.
Haley is considered one of the top three candidates in the primaries. She is in a close race with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to be the second-place candidate behind former President Donald Trump.
The AFP endorsement adds a new wrinkle to the race, as both Trump and DeSantis are looking to raise more money in a Republican primary that’s draining a lot of resources. The group, however, believes it’s time for “America to turn the page from the current political era.”
AFP Action stayed away from the 2016 and 2020 Presidential cycles, but it has significant resources available to help Haley’s campaigns. The group reported raising over $70 million at its last public filing in June. Of that, $25 million came from Koch personally, and another $25 from a nonprofit group of his.
In February, the group announced its plans to fight Trump. This was largely due to concerns over his ability to beat President Joe Biden. The Republican base has embraced Trump even more since then.
In national polls, he now leads Florida Governor Ron DeSantis by nearly 50 points. Ron DeSantis leads the average 538 polls by almost 50 points. Haley is only a few points behind DeSantis on the national average.
The situation is different in the early voting states. Trump is still the front-runner, but he is not as strong.
AFP also uses these resources to create an ad for Haley.
Haley and DeSantis have been battling each other over the past few weeks, and especially during a primary debate. They are both trying to convince voters that they’re a better option than Trump. Haley in particular is hoping to leverage her experience as an ex-ambassador to the United Nations, to gain support from the neoconservative side of the party. She also wants to offer what seems to be a more levelheaded approach to domestic policies.
Haley is “honored and grateful” that AFP has supported her.
She said, “I am honored to have @AFPAction’s support and its millions of grassroots supporters all over the country,” in a Tuesday morning statement. This election is about choosing between freedom and socialism, personal liberty and big government, fiscal responsibility and spiraling debt. We have a nation to save.”
.@NikkiHaley represents a new generation of conservative leaders who will solve the tough problems and lead our country forward.
Her positive vision for America is what we desperately need.
That’s why we’re proud to endorse Nikki Haley for President!https://t.co/sEfQSmd9pz pic.twitter.com/CDmMBtXM1N
— Americans for Prosperity Action (@AFPAction) November 28, 2023
Haley is ahead of DeSantis in the latest Emerson College poll. She has 9 percent to DeSantis’ 8 percent. Trump has a 55 percent lead over both. Recent polling in Iowa shows Haley trailing DeSantis.
