Staff Reports
Conservative Republican megadonor Ken Griffin expressed doubt in Nikki Haley’s ability to secure the Republican nomination for president, despite having poured millions of dollars into her campaign. While Griffin acknowledged Haley’s merits as a candidate, he questioned whether she can gain the necessary support in South Carolina and beyond. This comes after Griffin donated a total of $5 million to the pro-Haley super PAC SFA Fund in late 2023 and early 2024.
Griffin had previously shown public support for Haley, calling her a “rockstar” and praising her foreign policy credentials. However, his confidence seemed to wane after Haley suffered losses in the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire primary. It appears that other major donors who had backed Haley are also feeling pessimistic about her chances. Fundraiser Ed McMullen revealed that numerous donors who had initially supported Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are now reaching out to President Trump’s campaign for support.
GOP Megadonor Expresses Doubt In Nikki Haley’s Ability To Win After Spending Millions To Support Her https://t.co/AS7qepLHzG #BreakingNews #Breaking #News pic.twitter.com/TyafgIfw5Z
— Brett Murphy (@bmurphypointman) January 31, 2024
Despite these setbacks, some wealthy donors remain confident in Haley. Wall Street billionaires Stanley Druckenmiller, Henry Kravis, Ken Langone, and Cliff Asness co-hosted a recent fundraiser for her. However, Langone had previously stated that supporting Haley without gaining traction in New Hampshire would be foolish.
In terms of public opinion, Haley still trails former President Trump by over 30 points in her home state of South Carolina, according to polling averages. This suggests that she has a long way to go to match Trump’s level of support.
As of now, the Haley campaign has not responded to requests for comment, leaving many wondering how she plans to address these concerns from top donors.
In conclusion, it seems that some prominent conservative Republican donors, like Ken Griffin, are losing faith in Nikki Haley’s ability to secure the Republican nomination. This raises questions about her future prospects and highlights the enduring popularity of former President Trump within the party. While some donors are still backing Haley, her lack of traction in the polls and defeats in early primary elections suggest an uphill battle ahead. Only time will tell if she can overcome these challenges and emerge as a viable candidate for the Republican Party.
