Trump: Koch Network endorsement of Haley a 'minor hit' for DeSantis
Former President Trump, the front-runner for the GOP's 2024 presidential nomination, says a conservative group's endorsement of primary rival Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, is "a minor blow" to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's struggling campaign.
Americans for Prosperity (AFP) Action, a Charles Koch-backed group with deep pockets, has promised “a multimillion dollar ad campaign” in support of Haley starting this week.
"I was never in the running because I’m all about Making America, not the outside World, Great Again! These losers have fought me from 2016 to the present," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.
AFP Action senior adviser Emily Seidel said in announcing the endorsement that Haley “offers the best opportunity to improve the lives of all Americans.”
Trump, who appointed Haley to be ambassador to the United Nations in his administration, has maintained a commanding lead in the GOP primary, though Haley’s been on the rise in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, DeSantis has struggled to build the momentum to narrow the gap with Trump.
Recent national polls have shown Trump averaging about 61.3 percent support among Republican voters, leading DeSantis’s 13.8 percent and Haley’s 9.9, according to Real Clear Politics.
The Iowa caucuses, the real first test for the candidates, will take place Jan. 15.
In his post, Trump mocked Haley's standing, even as he admitted she may have earned a boost from AFP's support.
"She’s down 50 Points, she better start running FAST!" he said.