Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is looking at potential travel to New Hampshire ahead of the first-in-the-nation Republican primaries to campaign against former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, against whom he issued an anti-endorsement Friday.
“We’re gonna make a decision next week based on what happens in Iowa,” Paul said in an interview with the Washington Examiner.
Depending on the momentum or lack thereof for each candidate coming out of the Jan. 15 Iowa Republican caucuses, the senator will determine whether to make his way to New Hampshire to spread his “Never Nikki” message.
“I haven’t ruled out going to New Hampshire. I also haven’t ruled out endorsing a candidate,” he said. In making his rebuke of Haley, Paul said he admired aspects of former President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Vivek Ramaswamy, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom he met with earlier this week.
He explained that he wasn’t sure how much influence he could have among the early state Republican voters, “but I’m going to try to do everything I can.” Paul said he hopes those who believe he is performing well in the Senate trust him and see Haley doesn’t represent conservative and libertarian ideals.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), a DeSantis endorser, underscored how “significant” Paul coming out against Haley was in an interview with the Washington Examiner. He explained that Paul campaigned in Iowa previously when he ran for president in 2016, and the people know him. “Some portion of that could mean a few points swing in Iowa for Ron DeSantis,” he predicted.
Massie also suggested Paul could make an impact if he chooses to get involved in New Hampshire, where he noted there is a strong libertarian sentiment.
Paul stressed how committed he is to preventing Haley from becoming the Republican nominee for president. The senator believes the former U.N. ambassador would do the bidding of large corporations and defense contractors, noting her past position on the board of Boeing and current membership of United Homes Group’s board.
Further, he expressed serious concern over her “interventionist foreign policy,” her stance on the First Amendment, her promise to tackle entitlements, and her supposed fiscal conservatism, which he expressed skepticism of.
According to Paul, it’s “the quiet little secret in the caucus” that Senate Republican leaders, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), want Haley to win. “They think she’s malleable enough. She’s in enough with the corporate military folks that she will be pliable,” he added.
Asked if he would support Haley if she were to become the Republican nominee, he said, “I don’t think we’re there yet. My reason for getting involved now is to make sure we never get to that point.”
If that day were to come, he said he would make a decision then.
Paul also reacted to Haley’s attack on Massie earlier this week during the CNN Republican primary debate. At the event, she hit DeSantis for campaigning with “the most anti-Israel Republican,” referencing the congressman’s vote on a resolution condemning Hamas’s attacks and recognizing Israel’s right to exist. The resolution, which Massie was the lone vote against, specifically “recognizes that denying Israel’s right to exist is a form of antisemitism.”
Massie said his vote was due to the conflation of anti-Zionism with antisemitism. Speaking with the Washington Examiner, he called the vote “principled” and claimed “nobody on this planet thinks I’m antisemitic or anti-Israel.”
“So when she says that, it just comes off as ridiculous,” he said of Haley’s remark. DeSantis felt similarly, dismissing her jab as “cheap garbage” at the debate.
Paul also denounced Haley’s attack, agreeing that Massie’s vote was for principled and constitutional reasons and calling her comment “a cheap shot and unfair.”
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In a statement, Haley spokeswoman Nachama Soloveichik defended the remark, saying, “Ron DeSantis needs to explain to Iowa voters why he campaigns with the most anti-Israel Republican in Congress who votes to undermine Israel and foster antisemitism.”
“DeSantis had that opportunity on Wednesday, but he didn’t take it. In contrast, Nikki Haley will always have Israel’s back,” she continued.
