CNBC reports:

Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under former President Donald Trump, has hired key staff and is canvassing potential donors as she explores a presidential run against her former boss in 2024, according to people briefed on her plans.

Haley is putting together a national finance committee and communications team in advance of a potential campaign, these people explained. Some of the new hires have been directed to report for work at Haley’s nonprofit Stand for America Inc. and her political action committee Stand for America PAC in Charleston, S.C., by Feb. 1, these people added. All of the people who spoke with CNBC asked not to be named because Haley’s plans aren’t public and could still change.

Political consultant Mary Kate Johnson, meanwhile, has been reaching out on Haley’s behalf to major political donors in recent days to gauge their interest in joining the finance committee, two of these people added.

Johnson has worked closely with Haley in recent years, raising money through her consulting company MKJ Inc. for both Haley’s nonprofit as well as her political action committee, tax records, federal election commission filings and local business records show.

Haley has not formally announced a presidential bid but has strongly hinted at the possibility, recently telling Fox News she was “leaning in” to a potential 2024 White House run and that the Republicans need a candidate who can win a general election against President Joe Biden. A Haley spokesperson did not return requests for comment. [Continue reading…]

Ed Kilgore writes:

Much of the early talk about the 2024 Republican presidential contest involves speculation concerning the potential candidacy of Florida governor Ron DeSantis. But less than a year before voting is likely to begin in Iowa, the one actual announced candidate, Donald Trump, has bestirred himself from a very slow start to attempt a power play in one of the early states: South Carolina. On January 28, Trump will be in Columbia to announce his 2024 leadership team in the state that is currently slated as the third state in the GOP nominating process. The featured hosts will reportedly be South Carolina governor Henry McMaster, who has endorsed Trump, and Senator Lindsey Graham, who is expected to make his own Trump endorsement official.

Aside from the fact that this event represents the first real sign of life for Trump’s 2024 campaign since his November candidacy announcement, it clearly represents an effort to squelch potential challenges from two South Carolinians: Senator Tim Scott and former governor and United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley. Scott has been showing up in early caucus and primary states while inspiring some serious buzz in Beltway circles. And Haley has admitted she’s looking at a run — despite an earlier promise that she would back Trump if he attempted a 2024 comeback. [Continue reading…]