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11 months ago
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The conservative U.S. political network headed by billionaire Charles Koch on Tuesday endorsed Nikki Haley for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, saying she was the best candidate to beat President Joe Biden next year.
It is the latest boost for the former South Carolina governor who has seen her stock rise with strong debate performances and improving poll numbers.
Her traditional conservative positions also align with the Koch network, which uses its money to push for tax guts and less government regulation.
Setting out its reasons, it said beating former President Trump in the primaries was a top priority.
'Between her surging to second place in the polls since August and being well-positioned amongst supporters of the other candidates, she is in a strong position to gather more support,' said Emily Seidel, a senior adviser to the Koch group's Americans for Prosperity Action, in a memo.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said she was honored to receive the endorsement of Americans for Prosperity Action, which was set up by the billionaire Koch brothers
'In addition, our internal polling consistently shows that Nikki Haley is by far the strongest candidate Republicans could put up against Joe Biden in a general election – winning every key battleground state and up nationally by nearly 10 points.'
She said polls also showed that Republicans were ready to move on from Trump.
Haley is currently battling Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for second place in the race. Neither has made much of a dent in the former president's overwhelming lead, with only 48 days before Republicans in Iowa gather to make their nomination.
The backing of a super PAC set up by industrialist brothers Charles and David Koch, whose family business is the second biggest privately held company in the country, could dramatically change the dynamics of the race.
It will back her campaign with the sort of field workers, call centers and direct mail operations that she has lacked until now.
'I'm honored to have the support of Americans for Prosperity Action, including its millions of grass-roots members all across the country,' said Haley. 'A.F.P. Action’s members know that there is too much at stake in this election to sit on the sidelines.'
The DeSantis campaign could not disguise its irritation.
Spokesman Andrew Romeo posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter: 'Congratulations to Donald Trump on securing the Koch endorsement. Like clockwork, the pro-open borders, pro-jail break bill establishment is lining up behind a moderate who has no mathematical pathway of defeating the former president.'
English (US)