The race for second place in the 2024 Republican presidential primary might come down to the wire. Wait, who cares about the runner-up spot? Apparently, a lot of big-time GOP donors with money since they’re about to flush a great deal of it down the political toilet.
To the chagrin of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is hemorrhaging donors left and right, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley has picked up some deep-pocket support from Charles Koch, among other names attempting to unseat Donald Trump as the inevitable nominee next year.
For all intents and purposes, Nikki Haley has become the Jeb Bush of 2024, according to CNN:
Nikki Haley will be the lavishly funded vessel carrying the hopes of the influential network funded by billionaire Charles Koch and top industrial and corporate donors who think Donald Trump is a risk too far next November.
Their bet is that the former South Carolina governor can succeed where busted 2016 $100 million front-runner Jeb Bush, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, two impeachments, old school Republicans like Mitt Romney, millions splashed by the Club for Growth and the Lincoln Project and allied groups, a 2020 election defeat, a pliant House GOP majority and several special counsels failed.
Tuesday’s endorsement from Americans for Prosperity Action is the latest indication that Haley – on the strength of a shrewd campaign, a new generational message, and several strong debate performances – is now the GOP establishment’s favorite as the Trump-alternative.
DeSantis is wracking up big-name endorsements in Iowa and has announced an all-or-nothing strategy to win the Hawkeye State caucus. Meanwhile, Haley is right on his heels (no pun intended) in terms of donor support, something that could make a difference in the end.
However, all of this is still la-la-land as a means to topple Trump from a double-digit lead over his closest rivals in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada. In fact, as with most moves by the establishment, it plays directly into Trump’s hands. When big-money donors line up behind a candidate, it’s usually because that candidate will support the establishment in the end and put their priorities first over those of ordinary Americans.
For Haley to be trumpeting support from the Koch donor network is to be advertising her credentials as more closely aligned with the Bush-McCain-Romney wing of the party. For those keeping score a home, Bush ushered in Obama, McCain lost on Bush’s coattails, Romney lost a winnable race, and Jeb, the next Bush, was crushed by Donald Trump.
The Republican base has yet to abandon Trump and is not in a position to embrace someone like Haley based on approval from the donor class and coastal cocktail party enthusiasts.
Haley needs Trump voters to win anything, but headlines like this don’t help the cause: “Anti-Trump network backed by Charles Koch endorses Nikki Haley in loss for Ron DeSantis”
How does being endorsed by an “Anti-Trump” network help win over the specific voters Haley needs to have a chance at beating Trump?
Where does this leave DeSantis? Out in the cold, somewhat, as he lost a potential big-money donor base and recently showed up in fifth place in a September poll of New Hampshire GOP primary voters.
