The Koch-funded super PAC backing Nikki Haley will no longer be funding her 2024 presidential bid after her primary loss in South Carolina.
The billionaire Koch brothers’ large conservative network Americans for Prosperity announced its decision Sunday, the day after Haley suffered a 20-point defeat in her home state to GOP front-runner Donald Trump, with the group saying it will now be shifting its focus after “taking stock” of her overall chances in the GOP race.
“We don’t believe any outside group can make a material difference to widen her path to victory. And so while we will continue to endorse her, we will focus our resources where we can make the difference. And that’s the U.S. Senate and House,” senior AFP adviser Emily Seidel wrote in an e-mail obtained by The Post.
The loss of funds is yet another setback for the Haley campaign, which has suffered primary-race losses in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, the US Virgin Islands and South Carolina.
The former UN ambassador and ex-governor of South Carolina has vowed to stay in the race through Super Tuesday despite the large voting margins between her and the former president, arguing she is the only one who can defeat President Biden in the general election in November.
“AFP is a great organization and ally in the fight for freedom and conservative government. We thank them for their tremendous help in this race,” Haley campaign spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas said in a statement.
“Our fight continues, and with more than $1 million coming in from grassroots conservatives in just the last 24 hours, we have plenty of fuel to keep going. We have a country to save,” Perez-Cubas continued.
AFP, founded by brothers Charles and David Koch, had funded Haley’s grassroots efforts in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina with its army of door-knockers, phone banks and extensive mail campaign.
After being endorsed by the Koch network last year, Haley’s team had said the support was “significant” because of its “unmatched grassroots army and resources” and hoped it could be enough to beat out then-rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
AFP, the largest US conservative grassroots network, is now shifting its focus on House and Senate races as part of its “broader 2024 strategy” to prevent a liberal takeover in November.
If Trump becomes the GOP presidential nominee, “the risk of one-party rule by a Democratic Party captured by the Progressive Left is severe and would do irreparable damage to the country,” Seidel continued, suggesting the former president likely would not beat Biden.
“This election will be decided by swing voters. And Joe Biden leads Donald Trump 2 to 1 amongst independents. The most important – and hardest – thing we may need to do is convince millions of voters who will never cast a ballot for Donald Trump to vote for Republican candidates for Senate and House who will advance our shared principles.”
AFP has already endorsed candidates in Nevada, Montana, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and is planning on making endorsements in Ohio and Michigan. It has also launched ad buys in the Montana, Nevada and Pennsylvania Senate races.