Koch network endorses Haley as it looks to stop Trump
The powerful political network led by conservative billionaire Charles Koch endorsed Nikki Haley for president on Tuesday, as it looks to stop former president Donald Trump from being the Republican nominee.
Americans for Prosperity Action, the network’s flagship political group, revealed the group’s first endorsement of its type in a presidential race. In 2015, the Koch network identified five approved presidential candidates, all of whom fell to Trump.
"AFP Action is proud to throw our full support behind Nikki Haley, who offers America the opportunity to turn the page on the current political era, to win the Republican primary and defeat Joe Biden next November," Emily Seidel, senior adviser of the group, wrote in a memo. "Haley will have the full weight and scope of AFP Action's unmatched grassroots army and resources to help her earn the support of Americans to become the next President of the United States of America."
The endorsement comes just under seven weeks before the first nominating contest in Iowa, with Trump in command of the race there and in other early states. Haley, the former UN ambassador and governor of South Carolina, has gained momentum in the Republican primary and has in many ways surpassed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as the top alternative to Trump. She is pitching herself as the most capable general election candidate, with some polls showing her outperforming rivals against President Biden.
But Trump is still far ahead in polls of the Republican race, leaving questions about how effective the move will be by the Koch network and other antiTrump entities entering the fray late in the race. Other influential Republicans seeking to stop Trump have weighed in on the race this fall, including Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, who endorsed DeSantis in recent weeks and has since appeared with him on the trail in support of his bid. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, another Trump critic, has suggested he will soon make an endorsement of either Haley, DeSantis, or former New Jersey governor Chris Christie.
While Haley has been ascendant in the Republican race, there are some doubts in the party about the strength of ground operation, particularly in Iowa, where organizing for the Jan. 15 caucuses is seen as key. Tuesday's endorsement is notable for its potential to amplify her ground efforts, since AFP has established a sophisticated ground operation in recent years.