Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley‘s outside supporters are targeting Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in Iowa five weeks before the 2024 Republican presidential primary‘s first-in-the-nation nominating caucus.
Stand for America, a pro-Haley super PAC, has spent $4.9 million in anti-DeSantis ads in Iowa since October, according to internal data shared by the DeSantis campaign as the two camps try to counter expectations before the Jan. 15 contest.
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That spending has paid for Stand for America to run more than 12,000 rating points against DeSantis across the state between Oct. 26 and Dec. 8, compared to MAGA, Inc.’s 8,000 points against DeSantis. Rating points are an advertising industry standard that measures the impact of an ad campaign. MAGA, Inc. is former President Donald Trump‘s super PAC.
Stand for America defended its strategy, contending its focus since the first day of Haley’s campaign has been to help her candidacy for president. The former South Carolina governor is an average of 2 percentage points behind DeSantis in Iowa, 20% to 18%, according to RealClearPolitics. Trump, however, is 30 points ahead of DeSantis, with 50%.
“While Ron DeSantis perfects his mini-Trump routine, staffing problems and all, we’re all in on showing Americans why Nikki is the only candidate who will defeat not just Donald Trump, but Joe Biden, too,” Stand for America spokeswoman Brittany Yanick told the Washington Examiner.
Meanwhile, MAGA, Inc. dismissed Haley’s tactics as it remains focused on DeSantis, considering their similar bases, though DeSantis does compete with Haley for some of the anti-Trump vote.
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“Nikki Haley is raking in money from Democrats and RINOs because she’s a career politician who raises taxes on the middle class,” MAGA, Inc. spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said. “It doesn’t matter how much she raises, Republicans don’t want another tax and spend politician.”
Trump has more than 51% first-choice support among likely Iowa caucusgoers to DeSantis’s 19% and Haley’s 16% as of Monday, the largest lead recorded by the poll from the Des Moines Register, NBC News, and Mediacom this close to the contest. The gold standard poll’s last survey in October found Trump with 43% to DeSantis’s and Haley’s 16%.
