(NewsNation) — The conservative political network led by billionaire Charles Koch has endorsed Nikki Haley for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, boosting the former South Carolina governor among party rivals struggling to make a dent against front-runner Donald Trump.
The group, which pushes for tax cuts and less government regulation, announced its plans in a memo Tuesday. The group signaled that beating former President Donald Trump in the Republican nominating contest is a top priority, arguing Trump would lose the November 2024 election to President Joe Biden. Biden beat incumbent Trump in the 2020 White House race.
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In addition to controlling tens of millions of dollars in funds available for campaign spending, the Koch-affiliated super PAC spending group, known as Americans for Prosperity Action, or AFP Action, has thousands of operatives throughout the country who will now promote Haley among potential voters.
Among Haley’s main weaknesses, according to campaign operatives, has been a relatively underdeveloped network of campaign workers and allies in the critical early-voting state of Iowa.
It’s uncertain if the AFP endorsement will be a game changer, given that Trump leads his Republican rivals by more than 40 points in most national polls. About 10% of Republican primary voters support Haley, according to a polling average maintained by poll-tracking website FiveThirtyEight.
However, the endorsement could tip the scales in Haley’s favor in a tight battle with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for the No. 2 slot. Around 13% of primary voters support DeSantis, according to FiveThirtyEight.
It could also help her convince other major donors to get behind her. Many big-dollar donors have considered supporting Haley, who served as U.S. ambassador to the U.N., for months but have held off amid concerns that she is simply too far behind Trump.
“The Kochs have a tremendous following,” said Texas-based Republican donor Fred Zeidman, a top Haley fundraiser.