AFP Endorses Nikki Haley for President
The libertarian conservative political policy network, Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP), has officially endorsed Nikki Haley's presidential campaign. Founded by the billionaire Koch brothers, this endorsement is expected to provide Haley with a significant boost in resources and support as she aims to position herself as the primary challenger to former President Donald Trump.
In a news release, AFP announced that their endorsement will be accompanied by a multimillion dollar ad campaign, set to launch this week in all early primary states as well as several Super Tuesday states. The campaign will call on Americans to unite behind Haley's positive vision for the future, with the goal of turning the page on today's broken politics and moving the country forward.
The first ad supporting Haley was released on Tuesday, appearing on both digital platforms and television. The ad highlights Haley's fiscal conservatism and her commitment to tackling reckless spending from both parties. It also emphasizes that both Trump and President Joe Biden had their chance to address the nation's problems, but failed to fix what is broken.
The organization conducted a poll that suggests Haley's political identity is not as well known, which is actually seen as a strength rather than a disadvantage.
"As voters have become more familiar with her, her favorable ratings and ballot share have only increased," said AFP senior adviser Michael Palmer. "In these early states, and especially in South Carolina and Super Tuesday, it's much easier to shape a narrative around someone who is relatively unknown compared to someone like Donald Trump or Governor DeSantis, who already have a well-established image."
AFP officials previously expressed their desire for a Trump alternative, stating in a memo in February that "the best thing for the country would be to have a president in 2025 who represents a new chapter." It's important to note that AFP did not endorse any candidate in the 2020 presidential race.
According to AFP's polling, support for DeSantis has declined in Iowa and New Hampshire since August, while support for Haley has been on the rise.
Congratulations to Donald Trump on securing the Koch endorsement. Haley is a moderate who has no mathematical pathway of defeating the former president. DeSantis himself has previously argued that Haley's electorate doesn't cut as much into Trump's voter base as his does.
Haley's team quickly threw the Florida governor's words during a Fox News interview back at him, when he touted his own endorsement by Iowa evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats.
"If somebody endorses somebody other than you, you don't always have to lash out and attack the person who made the endorsement. It's a primary, people can have different choices in this, and there's not always an ulterior motive," DeSantis said Monday.
Trump's super PAC, "Make America Great Again Inc.," said the DeSantis campaign "finally got it right when they bitterly attacked Americans for Prosperity for being a vessel of globalist shills" and noted AFP's backing of DeSantis in his gubernatorial campaigns.
AFP's affiliated super PAC spent more than $69 million in the 2022 cycle, according to Federal Election Commission disclosures.
AFP Action has spent over $4.1 million on advertising this cycle, according to AdImpact. Since early October it has had a digital ad running in Iowa that says "we can't beat Biden until we let Trump go."
The GOP Race Begins to Coalesce as Endorsements Roll In
A billionaire-backed group has announced its endorsement just weeks ahead of the Iowa caucuses, signaling the ramping up of endorsements in the GOP race. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Vander Plaats previously backed DeSantis in November, while New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu is expected to make an endorsement soon from his state.
Recent endorsements for Haley have highlighted the growing support for an alternative to Trump among top GOP donors. CBS News has confirmed that Haley will attend a fundraiser for her super PAC, Team Stand for America, in New York City on Dec. 4. The fundraiser will be hosted by eight GOP donors, including Eric Levine, a New York-based donor and litigator.
"Nikki Haley wins by wider margins against Joe Biden than Donald Trump does," Levine said. "I think it behooves the party to try to expand its base, not make it smaller. Nikki Haley has a vision for the country, a positive vision for the country."
