Are the sources of money drying up?
Donors no longer believe in Nikki Haley
January 25, 2024, 8:06 p.m
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Donald Trump has clearly won the Republican primaries so far. Many believe his competitor Haley no longer has a chance. Big donors are gradually turning away from her. The ex-president is blatantly threatening the remaining donors.
In the nomination duel for the US Republican presidential candidacy, prominent donors have turned away from Nikki Haley. The former governor lost the second primary election in New Hampshire on Tuesday against the favorite Donald Trump. “Haley has to give up,” said metals magnate Andy Sabina. The race is actually over and their sources of money are drying up. “Why would you finance someone who you know has no chance?”
The broadcaster NBC had previously reported, citing insiders, that LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman would no longer give her any money. Other major donors such as retailer Art Pope say they are sticking with Haley.
Trump himself took direct aim at their sources of money on his short message service Truth Social: Anyone who still donates to their election campaign will be banned from their political environment forever – “permanently barred” was his choice of words in English. On Thursday evening, Haley incorporated the threat into her campaign, advertising T-shirts with the two words on X. The 52-year-old served as US ambassador to the United Nations under Trump.
There is no German-style campaign financing in the USA. To put it simply, the candidates themselves have to ensure that they receive support. If they are more popular, they will not only receive more votes on election day, but also more donations in advance. Studies show that money alone is not enough to win. However, a certain minimum amount is a requirement to have a chance. If a candidate is considered hopeless during the election campaign, he will also have problems raising money.
An advisor to Hoffman, Dmitri Mehlhorn, sees exactly this situation with Haley. Only if Trump’s age was obviously getting to him would there be a way forward, he says. Then she would have to “convince Republican voters that he has lost his mind.” The next primary election will take place on February 24th: in South Carolina, Haley’s home state.