In an unexpected turn of events, former U.N. Nikki Haley could be a serious contender for the Republican Presidential primaries. In recent weeks, her profile has begun to rise as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, once seen as the most formidable threat to former President Donald Trump, has been experiencing some serious challenges.
Haley’s performance during the first Republican Primary Debate has attracted the attention of some key GOP donors. Some are considering supporting her as an alternative to the former President, who is still leading by a large margin.
Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley appears to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ faltering campaign, with more donors saying they are looking more closely at her candidacy as an alternative to frontrunner Donald Trump.
Reuters spoke with four donors and a source close to a large donor who said that they were impressed by the former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations during the first Republican Presidential debate in August. They also expressed their desire to continue to support her as a presidential candidate.
The party will be closely watching her performance at the second California debate on Wednesday night, among the candidates vying for the nomination to run as president in the election of 2024.
DeSantis has failed to gain traction amid Trump’s relentless attacks and missteps. Some major donors have remained loyal to him despite his campaign’s difficulties.
DeSantis’ campaign has suffered setbacks, but he still retains some of his biggest donors. Some donors believe that DeSantis might not be able to compete with Trump. This is evident from the fact that Republicans consider giving Haley financial support. One of the donors said that he had not seen Haley’s “force of will” or “presence” until the first debate and would “consider donating to [her].
It is important to note that just because more donors have expressed an interest in Haley, that does not mean that they will donate to her campaign. If she plays her cards correctly, however, she can put herself in a better position to surpass DeSantis who, according to the RealClearPolitics’ average, is ahead of her by 8.6 percent.
Haley’s performance at the second Republican Debate on Wednesday will play a major role in this trend. She made a strong showing during the first round, highlighting her diplomatic credentials as well as her experience in foreign policy. She was one of few candidates who were willing to criticize Trump directly, her former employer.
Haley’s supporters are still hoping that Haley, the former UN Ambassador and Governor of South Carolina, can take advantage of another opportunity to gain ground in a crowded field.
Haley, a former member of the Trump administration has also stepped up her rhetoric in recent weeks. She has called the former president “thin-skinned” and “easily distractible”, said he had “done nothing on fiscal policy”, and that he was “weak on the knees” when it came to supporting Ukraine.
Katon Dawson said that debates are a way to promote and fire people. He is the former chairperson of the South Carolina Republican Party who has endorsed Haley’s candidacy.
Dawson said that Haley has established herself as “a top-tier candidate”, but she needs “another great debate” to gain momentum.
Haley still faces a tough battle, even if she manages to slip into second place. Trump is still in a strong position and has a large lead over his competitors.
