South Carolina presidential hopefuls Nikki Haley and Tim Scott are drawing their political knives against their Republican rivals ahead of Wednesday’s third GOP debate.
The two candidates’ campaigns released brutal internal memos attacking their enemies, including front-runner Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and laying out a game plan nearly two months before the party’s first primary contest.
“Nikki is the ONLY viable alternative to Trump,” Haley’s campaign wrote in a memo. “Despite the DeSantis team’s outlandish and nonsensical claims, we would be delighted if he did so before Iowa. Given his campaign’s cash burn rate, we may get our wish.”
DeSantis’ Iowa campaign operation has recently been boosted by news of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ (R-La.) upcoming endorsement at a rally in Des Moines later that Monday.
An endorsement from a sitting Iowa governor is rare and highly coveted. DeSantis is behind Trump and in second place in Iowa with 18%, followed by Haley with 12.5%, according to the RealClearPolitics aggregate.
Nikki Haley tries to position herself as the main alternative to Donald Trump.REUTERS
But Haley’s campaign downplayed the governor’s standing in the Hawkeye State, maintaining that he is not doing as well in later races such as those in New Hampshire and South Carolina.
Haley is on average second behind Trump in both New Hampshire and South Carolina, while DeSantis is third in both states, according to RealClearPolitics aggregates.
Meanwhile, Bryan Griffin, press secretary for the DeSantis campaign, said it’s “a two-man race” between the Florida governor and Trump.
“Team Trump knows this; That’s why they are spending more than a million dollars this week alone to attack DeSantis,” Griffin emphasized.
Ron DeSantis is ranked second nationally and in Iowa among Republicans, which could give him momentum once the primaries begin. Joe Marino/UPI/Shutterstock
“Ron DeSantis has a stronger combination of endorsements, fundraising and playing in the early states than any other candidate. “Meanwhile, Nikki Haley is struggling to answer for his dismal record with China, accepting refugees from Gaza, and the UN,” she added.
“With all the attacks and attention focused on DeSantis, we know we are over the mark and are poised to win this nomination.”
Scott’s campaign predicted a fierce showdown between Haley and DeSantis on stage in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday.
“We all know what will happen,” Scott campaign manager Jennifer Decasper wrote in a memo.
Tim Scott’s campaign criticized the recent dispute between Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis.REUTERS
“Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis will become a feud. She will attack him for being the failed candidate that she is. He will attack her for being as moderate as she is. “They will both be right.”
Decasper dubbed Haley, the former US ambassador to the UN, the “Never Trumpers’ favorite” and criticized the Florida governor for not conveying an optimistic message.
“Tim Scott is the best candidate to flip the swing states that President Trump lost in 2020 and create a red wave down the ballot,” his camp said.
Haley appointed Scott to the Senate in 2013.
Notably, Scott was not mentioned in the memo distributed by the Haley campaign.
Donald Trump, emerging from his fraud trial in Manhattan on Monday, is the clear favorite in the 2024 Republican race. Steven Hirsch
The Republicans will face off on stage at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts starting at 8 pm EST.
NBC News is co-hosting the event and has tapped “Meet The Press” moderator Kristen Welker and “NBC Nightly News” host Lester Holt to moderate it along with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.
Trump is expected to skip the verbal spat and instead hold a rally in nearby Hialeah, Florida, about a 30-minute drive from the debate stage.
The former president is well ahead of the Republican pack nationally with 58.5% support, followed by DeSantis with 13.3%, Haley with 8.4%, Ramaswamy with 4.5%, Christie with 2.5% and Scott with 1.7%, according to the latest RealClearPolitics. add.
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