Presidential candidates Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley are scheduled to face off in a debate Wednesday night in Iowa, squaring off to take each other down ahead of the Jan. 15 caucuses.
The two alternatives to Donald Trump have been on a collision course in recent weeks. Haley has risen in the polls to challenge DeSantis’ standing in Iowa, the first state in the country where she sees a path forward to defeating the former president.
White House hopefuls qualified for the debate alongside Trump, but the GOP front-runner, 77, will not attend to hold his own town hall with Fox News.
DeSantis’ strategy
DeSantis, 44, is doing well in Iowa and has promised he can win the state, even though polls show Trump leading by an average of 30 points, according to RealClearPolitics.
Haley, 51, is on average just 2% behind DeSantis in the Hawkeye State, so unseating her in the debate will be a huge boost to her campaign.
His campaign has already hinted at how the Florida governor will attack Haley, releasing an ad on Monday highlighting his recent gaffe over how New Hampshire voters “correct” the Iowa results.
DeSantis will likely try to juxtapose his more traditional Iowa running game approach with Haley’s “joke” on Iowa voters and may mention her infamous moment where she didn’t mention slavery as the cause of the Civil War.
Haley and DeSantis have had opportunities to debate each other in four Republican debates, but this is the first time they will go head-to-head. REUTERS
He focused on Haley’s comments in a conversation with reporters on Monday.
“With Nikki Haley, her flippant, derogatory comments in New Hampshire saying that Iowans would be corrected by another state, you know, I think they’re very, very damaging, because I think it plays into this presumption about people in the middle of the world. . country that somehow, you know, don’t count or need to be corrected by other people,” DeSantis said.
The DeSantis campaign has also previously attacked Haley by claiming that she aspires to be Trump’s vice president, arguing that she is too liberal and pointing out her ties to China, all attacks that could come up again on stage.
Haley’s plan of attack
The former U.N. ambassador will likely hold her ground in the debate and play more defensively until she has a chance to fight back, as she has done in previous GOP debates.
Heading into the debate, Haley has increased her attacks on Trump and President Biden, accusing DeSantis of being “desperate” and “lying” about his history of liking Hillary Clinton.
Haley recently accused DeSantis of “lying” about his history of liking Hillary Clinton because he is “losing.” JIM LO SCALZO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Haley’s campaign has strongly called for Trump to join the debate, indicating that they see an opportunity to challenge the former president head-on.
“Nikki wins over voters every time they hear her vision of a strong and proud America. She’s tough, authentic and focused, and voters love that about her. With the debate stage reduced to just two, the time to hide Donald Trump is about to end,” Haley’s spokeswoman, Olivia Pérez-Cubas, told The Post.
Haley has been more timid than DeSantis in announcing a specific goal in Iowa, saying she would like to have a “good showing” in the state, not necessarily a victory. Her sponsor, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, predicted she would take a “strong second place.”
Her campaign has highlighted her rising poll numbers in Iowa and New Hampshire and pointed to her “momentum” as proof that she is the best alternative to Trump.
Haley also criticized DeSantis for not moving up in the polls and can point to the debate numbers.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn