The Race For Second Place: Haley PAC Spends Millions Against DeSantis, Spends $0 On Trump

Over the past two months, the super PAC backing Nikki Haley, Stand for America (SFA), has funded over $3.5 million in advertisements against fellow 2024 Republican candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in an effort to unseat the Florida governor from second place in the polls. Given recent Republican primary voter surveys, the PAC's plan appears to be working. However, the Haley-aligned super PAC has spent $0 on frontrunner Donald Trump.

The advertisements are meant to push back against DeSantis' talking point about the former South Carolina governor and attempt to bolster her record as both an executive in the governor's mansion and as the US ambassador to the United Nations. "Ron DeSantis' lies and desperate mudslinging aren't working; it's backfiring and costing him support," SFA spokeswoman Brittany Yanick explains. "We won't allow DeSantis to spread lies about Nikki's record when it comes to China or terrorism in the Middle East. We're focused on ensuring voters understand Nikki Haley's record and DeSantis' latest attempts to rewrite history amid his sinking ship of a campaign." 

According to The New York Post, SFA has spent over $28 million in support of Haley and $25,000 in attacking President Joe Biden. The majority of the super PAC's spending went into Iowa and New Hampshire, where DeSantis and Haley are neck-in-neck. According to Five Thirty Eight, 44.7 percent of Iowian voters support President Trump, while 17.5 percent support DeSantis, and 15.3 percent back Haley. In New Hampshire, 44.7 percent of voters back Trump, while 18.9 percent support Haley, 11.6 percent support former Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ), and only 7.7 percent back DeSantis.

While SFA has been successful in increasing Haley's poll numbers in recent months, DeSantis' super PAC, Never Back Down, has done the exact opposite. Never Back Down has reportedly spent over $4.5 million attacking Haley and only $375,000 against Trump, which has allegedly led to infighting amongst the leadership of the organization. The situation has become so bad for the DeSantis camp that Never Back Down CEO Chris Jankowski resigned from his position.

"Gov. Ron DeSantis has endured more negative advertising against him than every other candidate and is still the only one who can defeat Donald Trump," Never Back Down spokesperson Jess Szymanski said, per The Post. "Never Back Down has amplified DeSantis' successful, conservative track record, which stands in stark contrast to the establishment flip-flops of Nikki Haley, and his commitment to putting country over self, unlike Donald Trump. Gov. DeSantis is the leader and fighter our country needs."

As both Haley and DeSantis continue to butt heads, President Trump's lead continues to remain rock solid. If either candidate wishes to actually pose a challenge to Trump, who currently has 59.8 percent support nationally, then one of them will have to leave the race and admit defeat. 

You can follow Sterling on X/Twitter here.