Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign is betting that Tuesday’s endorsement from the Koch network — the largest conservative grassroots coalition — will fuel a surge in support for the former ambassador to the United Nations in key early states, allowing her to outflank Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Americans for Prosperity Action has committed to deploying “thousands” of activists and grassroots leaders “to knock on doors and turn out people to vote,” and will also launch “extensive mail, digital, and TV campaigns to supplement the on-the-ground efforts,” according to Haley’s campaign.
Haley, 51, and DeSantis, 45, have both argued they have the best path forward to overtake former President Donald Trump’s massive polling lead as the two White House hopefuls have jostled for a distant second place.
The endorsement from Americans for Prosperity Action, Haley’s campaign argued, is “significant” due to its “unmatched grassroots army and resources.”
with ‘full weight and scope’ of resources. AFP Action
“Poll after poll show Nikki Haley is the best challenger to Donald Trump and Joe Biden. That’s why the largest conservative grassroots coalition in the country just got behind her. Nikki is second in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina and is the only candidate with the momentum to go the distance,” spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas told The Post, knocking DeSantis’ “short shelf life with his Iowa-or-bust strategy.”
The dig at DeSantis adds to the ongoing rivalry between the two camps.
The Florida governor’s campaign has stressed their focus on first-in-the-nation Iowa, maintaining DeSantis’ 99-county “Full Grassley” tour shows he’s the most committed to the Hawkeye State == and predicting that a strong performance there on Jan. 15 would solidify what they insist is a “two-man” race with Trump.
DeSantis has also earned the endorsement of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and prominent evangelical leader Bob Van Der Plaats, as well as 41 current Iowa legislators, and has deployed a large chunk of his staff to work from Des Moines full time.
The Haley endorsement from AFP Action is really an endorsement for Trump, the Florida governor’s campaign has argued, citing an October Des Moines Register poll showing that most of Haley’s supporters would go to DeSantis if she dropped out of the race.
Haley’s campaign has not had the same presence in Iowa as DeSantis, instead focusing on each of the first three contests — including primaries in New Hampshire and her home state of South Carolina.
Polls show DeSantis leading Haley 17.3% to 14.3% on average in Iowa, but Haley besting the Florida governor 18.7% to 7.7% in New Hampshire and 18.8% to 10.5% in South Carolina, according to data averages compiled by RealClearPolitics.
DeSantis’ already-established network in Iowa “is a very strong conservative base, and it is going to be difficult to counter the big names” he already has on his side like Reynolds and Van Der Plaats, veteran Republican strategist Dave Wilson told The Post.
But, he warned, given that DeSantis has largely put “all his eggs” in the Iowa basket, he would have to beat Trump or come in second by under 5% in the Hawkeye State to sustain him through New Hampshire and South Carolina.