Koch-backed group endorses Nikki Haley

A Koch-backed group endorsed former Republican South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for president, according to a memorandum released by Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP).

Charles Koch and his late brother, David Koch, are the billionaire sons of Fred Koch, who founded Koch Industries, a multibillion-dollar holding company that is the second-largest private corporation in the United States. Known for their heavy funding of Republican candidates, the Koch network’s AFP Action signaled on Tuesday that it would endorse Haley’s campaign, calling her “a candidate who can turn the page and win.”

“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,” the memorandum reads. “She has what it takes to lead a policy agenda to take on our nation’s biggest challenges and help ensure our country’s best days are ahead.”

AFP Action Endorsement of N… by Daily Caller News Foundation

The memorandum justified its endorsement of Nikki Haley by pointing to polling data and anecdotal claims from AFP activists in early states.

“Between her surging to second place in the polls since August and being well-positioned amongst supporters of the other candidates, she is in a strong position to gather more support,” the memorandum reads, adding that “our internal polling consistently shows that Nikki Haley is by far the strongest candidate Republicans could put up against Joe Biden in a general election.”

“I’m honored to have the support of Americans for Prosperity Action, including its millions of grassroots members all across the country,” Haley wrote in an emailed statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation. “AFP Action’s members know that there is too much at stake in this election to sit on the sidelines.”

AFP Action’s endorsement for Haley comes as her candidacy has gained greater attention from the Republican establishment in recent weeks, over her primary rival, Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. An Emerson College poll showed Haley receiving 18% support in New Hampshire, an increase of over 10 percentage points that overtook DeSantis, and several major donors have indicated that they will support her campaign.

Despite increased attention, Haley remains behind former President Donald Trump, the leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, who leads the current field of candidates by an average of 47.9% support nationally, according to RealClearPolitics. In New Hampshire, he is ahead of Haley by 27%.

“Like clockwork, the pro-open borders, pro-jail break bill establishment is lining up behind a moderate who has no mathematical pathway of defeating the former president,” Andrew Romeo, DeSantis’ communications director, wrote in an email to the DCNF, adding that “[e]very dollar spent on Nikki Haley’s candidacy should be reported as an in-kind to the Trump campaign.”

Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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