Nikki Haley draws growing interest from deep-pocketed donors as GOP presidential field shrinks
Tim Scott’s loss appears to be Nikki Haley’s gain.
Several of Scott’s financial backers have quickly pivoted to Haley in the days since the South Carolina senator ended his bid for the White House, as Haley jockeys with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to become the alternative to former President Donald Trump, the current front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.
In one sign of growing donor enthusiasm for her campaign, billionaire hedge fund founder Ken Griffin said this week he is now considering financially backing Haley after remaining on the sidelines in the GOP primary.
“Everything I hear is folks moving to Haley,” said Eric Levine, a New York lawyer and GOP fundraiser who supported Scott’s candidacy and now is collecting campaign contributions for the former South Carolina governor. He said he plans to host a fundraiser for Haley on December 4.
Three other GOP donors – billionaire investor and philanthropist Stanley Druckenmiller, metals mogul Andy Sabin and South Carolina businessman Chad Walldorf – also have signaled they will back Haley. Additionally, Spencer Zwick, who led the fundraising efforts for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, has signed on with Haley’s fundraising team, two GOP advisers familiar with the matter told CNN. A founder of the private equity firm Solamere Capital, Zwick remains one of the most well-connected donors in the Republican Party. [Continue reading…]