Stand for America, the super PAC backing former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for the Republican presidential nomination, has spent more than $3.5 million in the past two months targeting her 2024 rival, Ron DeSantis. , avoiding possible attacks against the favorite Donald Trump. , federal receipts show.
The strategic spending is aimed at setting the record straight about “DeSantis’ lies” and bolstering awareness about Haley’s record, SFA spokesperson Brittany Yanick told The Post, without mentioning any strategy to counter Trump.
The SFA has also spent $25,000 on advertising against President Biden and more than $28 million on pro-Haley efforts.
“Ron DeSantis’ desperate lies and smearing are not working; he is counterproductive and costs him support,” Yanick said. “We will not allow DeSantis to spread lies about Nikki’s record when it comes to China or terrorism in the Middle East. “We are focused on ensuring voters understand Nikki Haley’s record and DeSantis’ latest attempts to rewrite history amid her sinking campaign.”
The SFA millions went toward ads and other spending targeting Iowa and New Hampshire, according to data reviewed by The Post, and comes as Haley and DeSantis compete for second place in the top two states behind the imposing leadership of Trump, 77 years old.
Republican presidential candidates former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis participate in the NBC News Republican presidential primary debate on November 8, 2023 in Miami, Florida. Getty Images A super PAC backing Nikki Haley focused its funds on defeating Ron DeSantis, not Donald Trump. fake images
Trump averages 61.6% support nationally compared to 13.7% for DeSantis and 9.8% for Haley, according to RealClearPolitics.
In Iowa and New Hampshire, the 45th president leads DeSantis, 45, and Haley, 51, by more than 30 points, according to the same source.
Initially, both campaigns targeted the early states in an effort to show voters that they were the best candidate to overtake Trump, but recently their focus has shifted to attacking each other.
Never Back Down, the main super PAC backing DeSantis, has also targeted Haley, spending a relatively paltry $375,000 attacking Trump and spending more than $4.5 million against the former ambassador to the United Nations. , the organization confirmed to The Post.
Haley’s campaign said the effort was made to combat DeSantis’ “lies.” fake images
The focus on Haley has reportedly led to infighting, and Never Back Down CEO Chris Jankowski resigned last week over reported frustrations over the trajectory of the PAC’s strategy.
To counter DeSantis’ camp, the SFA increased its spending on negative advertising against the Florida governor, allocating $3.2 million so far this month, compared to just under $300,000 in October, records show.
“Governor. “Ron DeSantis has endured more negative publicity against him than any other candidate and remains the only one who can defeat Donald Trump,” said Never Back Down spokesperson Jess Szymanski. “Never Back Down has amplified DeSantis’ successful conservative record, which stands in stark contrast to Nikki Haley’s establishment changes, and his commitment to putting country before self, unlike Donald Trump. Governor DeSantis is the leader and fighter our country needs.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, left, listens to Republican presidential candidate, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, speak during the Family Leader Thanksgiving Family Forum. AP
DeSantis’ campaign has argued that Haley’s smear only helps the GOP front-runner.
“Nikki Haley and her donors are greedily wasting millions of dollars targeting Ron DeSantis in Iowa,” DeSantis deputy campaign manager David Polyansky said in a statement to the Post. “Because a DeSantis voter would choose Trump as his second choice, every negative ad you run against DeSantis only helps promote Donald Trump’s candidacy rather than improve his own standing.
“The truth is that every dollar Nikki Haley raises and spends on beating Ron DeSantis should be reported as an in-kind contribution to the Trump campaign.”
A Des Moines Register poll from October showed that 41% of Iowans who supported DeSantis chose Trump as their second choice, and only 27% said Haley was their second choice.
Meanwhile, 34% of Haley supporters chose DeSantis as their second choice, and only 12% chose Trump as their alternative.
Supporters of other White House hopefuls have spent more than $25 million opposing the Florida governor, and just over $18 million against Trump, according to published data by Rob Pyers, research director of the California Target Book.
“It is very easy to hit Ron DeSantis, his history is a target-rich environment riddled with pro-[Chinese Communist Party] anti-American positions and policies like ending Social Security and Medicare,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in reaction to the Haley PAC spending.
Trump continues to dominate the Republican field by an average of 40 points nationally. fake images
MAGA Inc., the main super PAC supporting Trump, has spent more than $23 million on ads opposing DeSantis and just over $6.7 million against Biden.
During the election campaign, DeSantis and Haley have been reluctant to fully denounce Trump’s record, and both candidates said they would support his Republican nomination even if he were found guilty in one of his upcoming criminal trials.
However, both White House hopefuls have intensified their criticism throughout the race.
DeSantis has called on Trump to join the other candidates in the Republican debates and has warned that Trump would only “energize” Democrats and lead to a Biden victory.
Haley has said “drama and chaos” follow the former commander in chief, but added that she agrees with many of his policies.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn