Americans for Prosperity Action Endorses Nikki Haley for President, Boosts Challenge to Donald Trump
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley received a major boost to her primary campaign against the Republican frontrunner, former President Donald Trump. The boost came from the political network largely financed by billionaire Charles Koch, which endorsed Haley for president on Tuesday.
Endorsement by AFP Action
The organization that endorsed Nikki Haley, Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action), sought a viable Republican alternative throughout the past year to challenge Trump. They have deployed grassroots and data capabilities to support their endorsement and claim no other organization is better equipped to help her lead a policy agenda to address the nation’s biggest challenges.
AFP Action, a super PAC with Koch backing, has already spent millions of dollars targeting Trump. They have argued that he would not win a general election against President Joe Biden. The PAC has also raised more than $70 million already in the 2024 election cycle, despite spending and will deploy greater resources to support Haley.
Charles Koch’s Support for Free Market Policies
Charles Koch, the head of Koch Industries, has long supported free-market economic policies. The organization, to a lesser extent, championed libertarian-leaning social policy. Despite controversies and support that have marked their relationship with Donald Trump, Koch-aligned groups have scored several policy victories during Trump’s first term in office. He has been the benefactor of some of the key policy developments in the country including tax cuts and confirmation of three conservative Supreme Court justices.
Endorsement Establishment and Trump’s Response
While this endorsement marks a critical step in the rivalry among potential Republican candidates, Trump famously critiqued the Kochs in a tweet storm, accusing them of representing precisely the kind of “globalist” elites who Trump’s loyal MAGA followers despise. The former president has frequently used the Koch network as a target, criticizing their opposition to his policies, including his trade war with China.
The AFP Action’s endorsement of Nikki Haley marks an important turning point in the Republican primary campaign for the 2024 election. Trump’s challengers are making significant headway, and the party is showing signs of a growing rift in its leadership.
The battle among the top Republicans is heating up as the Koch network steps up its efforts to challenge the grip of the former president on his party’s presidential nominating contest. The endorsement is a key milestone and illustrates the growing tension within the party’s leadership. Please stay tuned for further updates.
