A new campaign targeting over 77,000 Nikki Haley voters in Wisconsin seeks to persuade them to support Vice President Kamala Harris in November's presidential election, drawing the ire of Haley, who has issued a cease-and-desist letter.
Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has denounced a new campaign attempting to sway her supporters towards Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election. Haley Voters for Harris, a political action committee, aims to target over 77,000 Haley voters in Wisconsin to encourage them to vote for Harris.
Haley, who served as the United Nations ambassador under President Trump, has expressed her disapproval of the campaign, emphasizing her support for Trump and stating that any attempt to align her with Harris's agenda is "deceptive and wrong." She stated, "Kamala Harris and I are total opposites on every issue."
Haley Voters for Harris Target Wisconsin Voters in Bid to Swing Election
A law firm representing Haley's presidential campaign has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Haley Voters for Harris, demanding that they refrain from using Haley's name to suggest her support for Harris. Haley received over 4.4 million votes in the 2024 primary, and if a significant number of these voters switch allegiance to Harris, it could potentially swing the election in Wisconsin.
Craig Snyder, the director of Haley Voters for Harris and former chief of staff to the late Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, believes that Haley voters could play a pivotal role in the battleground states. He said, "In such a closely contested place as Wisconsin, this group of voters can decide the race if any significant portion of them join the coalition behind the vice president."
Haley Voters for Harris Target Wisconsin Voters in Bid to Swing Election
Haley received 76,841 votes in Wisconsin's April GOP primary, even after she had dropped out of the race. President Biden narrowly won Wisconsin in 2020, winning by a margin of only 0.62 percentage points. Biden received 1,630,673 votes compared to Trump's 1,610,065, a difference of just over 20,000 votes.
Haley's voters in the primary primarily consisted of college-educated and independent-minded Republicans. Haley Voters for Harris will target these voters through social media and direct voter outreach, focusing on Harris's self-described "centrist record," particularly her experience as a prosecutor and her stance on issues like ending asylum abuse and supporting police hiring.
Haley Voters for Harris Target Wisconsin Voters in Bid to Swing Election
William Howell, a professor at the University of Chicago, believes that Haley's voters in Wisconsin may be open to supporting other candidates, given their previous disappointment with the direction of the Republican Party. Howell stated, "It's possible that their votes are still up for grabs."
Snyder believes that Haley Voters for Harris can have a significant impact with the right strategy, emphasizing, "You don’t need to change many minds to influence this election, particularly if you can target the small segment of the population that remains undecided."
Haley Voters for Harris Target Wisconsin Voters in Bid to Swing Election
A CNN poll conducted in August showed Harris leading Trump 50% to 44% nationally. However, recent polling from Wisconsin indicates a tighter race, making the swing state critical for both candidates.
