Republican Voters Choose Nikki Haley as Their Presidential Hopeful Over Trump and Ron DeSantis

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, a former American ambassador to the UN, is gaining support from the party's base. Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are currently not the top two candidates on voters' lists for the GOP candidacy in 2024. There are conservative Americans who are currently on the lookout for a different presidential candidate. As per Reuters, Haley is the most popular Republican who supports continued involvement in the Ukraine war, standing out on the campaign trail for talking frequently about foreign policy problems. The previous governor of South Carolina is currently in third place behind DeSantis and Donald Trump, but she is beginning to overtake the Florida governor.

The 51-year-old Republican leader has established a solid conservative image in the Republican Party and is seen as more credible than many of her contemporaries when it comes to addressing issues of race and gender. She has received criticism for her confusing positions on several important policy matters at the same time. As per Yahoo, the other significant aspect that has benefited Haley is DeSantis' "dramatic fallout." The Florida governor has evolved into a significant letdown rather than "a charismatic, crusading figure," as many of the voters had hoped him to become Trump's presumptive heir. Voters and supporters are starting to quickly distance themselves from DeSantis' mediocre speeches and campaign appearances.

As per Reuters, one Republican contributor, who donated more than $1 million to support DeSantis' presidential campaign, exclusively said that he has worries about DeSantis' ability to prevail and is now open to Haley, 51, who is running as a foreign policy hawk while emphasizing her relative youth compared to the 77-year-old Trump. "Until the first debate, I hadn't seen her force of will and her presence. I absolutely would consider donating to her," the donor anonymously said. Depending on who he believes is "most capable" of defeating Trump and, ultimately, Democratic President Joe Biden in the race, he indicated he would back either Haley or DeSantis. 

In the wake of her excellent first debate, billionaire cosmetics entrepreneur Ronald Lauder has also expressed interest in Haley, though he has not yet made up his mind on whether to back her. A New Mexico-based contributor named John Yates, who had previously expressed some interest in DeSantis, stated that while he is impressed with Haley's views on China and Israel, he would like to know more about her domestic ideas. Frayda Levin, a New Jersey-based former book industry executive said, "Money is not going to change the dynamic in this primary race." Rob Godfrey, a Republican strategist added, "It's up to her campaign and in some ways dependent on her second debate performance as to whether or not this is momentum or a moment," said Godfrey, who had spoken on Haley's behalf when she was governor but remains impartial in this election.