The race for the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election is heating up, with Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis emerging as the frontrunners. Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and ambassador to the United Nations, has seen a significant rise in support in recent months.[0] While she still trails behind DeSantis, the governor of Florida, Haley has narrowed the gap considerably.[1]
One key factor working in Haley’s favor is the history of Iowa, where she is currently campaigning.[1] Over the past decade, Iowa has elected Republican women to positions of power, including the Senate, the governorship, and two of the state’s congressional seats.[1] This trendline could work to Haley’s advantage as she positions herself as the alternative to former President Donald Trump.
Haley’s rise in the polls has been noticeable not just in Iowa but also nationally. In a recent Fox News poll, she registered her best showing yet with 10 percent support. She has also pulled ahead of DeSantis in surveys of New Hampshire and South Carolina.[2] These developments have led some to view her as the main threat to DeSantis’ efforts to consolidate support.[3]
DeSantis, however, is not taking Haley’s rise lightly. His camp has been increasingly vocal in their criticism of her, and they hope that growing scrutiny will take a toll on her campaign. They argue that Haley appeals primarily to a smaller, anti-Trump segment of the Republican electorate and cannot win enough voters from the pro-Trump majority to defeat him in a head-to-head matchup.[2]
The intensifying competition between Haley and DeSantis has been evident in their recent interactions. At a multicandidate event in Iowa, both candidates focused on foreign policy and avoided direct attacks on each other.[2] However, Haley’s campaign released a video labeling DeSantis as “desperate” for attacking her, and she used a question about accepting refugees from the Middle East to criticize him.[2]
The ad wars between the two candidates have also intensified, with both sides releasing ads targeting the other.[4] Haley’s campaign has accused DeSantis of lying about her record, pointing to fact checks that rated claims by his super PAC as false.[5] DeSantis, on the other hand, has downplayed Haley’s foreign policy experience, dismissing her tenure at the United Nations as irrelevant.[6]
As the rivalry between Haley and DeSantis continues to escalate, they are both vying for the support of Republican donors. They recently made competing pitches to a group of billionaire donors in an attempt to consolidate support behind one candidate. While DeSantis still maintains the lead over non-Trump candidates nationally and in Iowa, his support has been eroding, while Haley’s has been on an upward trajectory.[6]
Ultimately, it remains to be seen who will emerge as the Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election. Haley’s rise in the polls and her ability to appeal to moderates and independents could make her a formidable contender. However, she still has a long way to go to overtake Trump, who continues to lead the field by a wide margin. The coming months will be crucial for both Haley and DeSantis as they seek to solidify their positions and gain momentum in the race for the nomination.
0. “As She Captures Hearts, Minds Haley’s Star Rises” Newsmax, 18 Oct. 2023, https://www.newsmax.com/starparker/nikki-haley-polls-attention/2023/10/18/id/1138739
1. “Nikki Haley rising – POLITICO” POLITICO, 16 Oct. 2023, https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2023/10/16/nikki-haley-rising-00121841
2. “Haley and DeSantis escalate their battle to become Trump alternative” The Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2023/10/21/haley-desantis-trump-presidential-race
3. “DeSantis Says Haley ‘Indulging Media Narratives’ on Abortion” The Messenger, 20 Oct. 2023, https://themessenger.com/politics/desantis-says-haley-indulging-media-narratives-on-abortion
4. “Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley’s Gaza refugee fight spills onto airwaves with duelings ads” New York Post , 20 Oct. 2023, https://nypost.com/2023/10/20/desantis-haley-feud-spills-over-airwaves/
5. “DeSantis and Haley split over Palestinian refugees as rivalry to be top Trump alternative intensifies” CNN, 18 Oct. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/18/politics/desantis-haley-rivalry/index.html
6. “DeSantis downplays Haley’s foreign policy experience: ‘UN is a worthless organization'” Washington Examiner, 12 Oct. 2023, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/desantis-haley-foreign-policy-un-worthless-organization
