Nikki Haley looks for a strong showing, not necessarily a win, in Iowa caucuses

REPUBLICANS OFFICIALLY VOICE THEIR PICK FOR PRESIDENT. A BILLIONAIRE BACKED CONSERVATIVE GROUP IS GETTING BIG ON NIKKI HALEY. KCCI CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER JOINS US WITH HOW THE KOCH NETWORK’S ENDORSEMENT COULD SHIFT HALEY’S ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE AMANDA. WELL, BEN, AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY ACTION, WHICH WAS FOUNDED BY THE BILLIONAIRE KOCH BROTHERS, ENDORSED NIKKI HALEY THIS MORNING. NOW, THE GROUP HAS BEEN A VOCAL CRITIC OF GOP FRONTRUNNER DONALD TRUMP AND THEIR SUPPORT NOW GIVES NIKKI HALEY MORE RESOURCES AS SHE WORKS TO BECOME THE CLEAR CHALLENGER TO THE FORMER PRESIDENT. AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY ACTIONS. IOWA DIRECTOR DREW KLEIN SAYS MONTHS OF VOTER RESEARCH LED TO AN ENDORSEMENT OF NIKKI HALEY. WE HAVE BEEN TO OVER 300,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN THE STATE OF IOWA THIS YEAR ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY AND WHAT THEY’RE LOOKING FOR IN A REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT NEXT YEAR. AND THE REALITY IS VOTERS WANT TO WIN. KLEIN SAYS HALEY HAS THE BEST PATH TO THE WHITE HOUSE. POINT TO IOWA POLLING THAT SHOWS HALEY WITH HIGH FAVORABILITY RATINGS AND CONSISTENT GROWTH IN RECENT MONTHS. IF WE CAN HAVE A STRONG SHOWING IN IOWA AND PERFORM WELL HERE. NIKKI HALEY IS ALREADY POLLING IN A STRONG SECOND PLACE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THIS COULD LEGITIMATELY BECOME A TWO PERSON RACE BY THE TIME WE GET TO SOUTH CAROLINA, WHERE SHE CLEARLY HAS A BASE OF SUPPORT, IS THE FORMER GOVERNOR FROM THAT STATE. BUT OTHER INFLUENTIAL IOWANS ARE BETTING BIG ON HALEY’S REPUBLICAN RIVAL, RON DESANTIS. IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS, AN EVANGELICAL LEADER. BOB VANDER PLAATS BOTH ENDORSED THE FLORIDA GOVERNOR THIS MONTH. KCCI POLITICAL ANALYST DENNIS GOLDFORD SAYS SUPPORT FROM THE POWERFUL KOCH NETWORK COULD GIVE HALEY A NEEDED BOOST. DESANTIS IS COUNTING ON HIS SUPPORT AMONG CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN US TO BEAT BACK HALEY. IF HALEY CAN USE THE FUNDING AND SUPPORT FROM AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY TO BEAT DESANTIS, OR AT LEAST MAKE THE RACE AWFULLY CLOSE, THAT WORKS FOR HER. NOW, AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY ACTION SAYS THE ENDORSEMENT WILL INCLUDE A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR AD CAMPAIGN LAUNCHING THIS WEEK AND ALL EARLY AND SEVERAL SUPER TUESDAY STATES PROMOTING NIKKI HALEY. THEIR IOWA DIRECTOR SAYS BEYOND THOSE DIGITAL AND TV ADS, THEIR SUPPORT FOR HALEY ALSO COMES WITH A LARGE GRASSROOTS OPERATION WITH VOLUNTEERS, MONEY AND RESOURCES IN 37 STATE

For Nikki Haley, a win in Iowa doesn't necessarily mean a win in the state's Republican presidential caucuses."The way I look at it, we just need to have a good showing in Iowa," the former South Carolina governor said Friday in response to a question during a town hall event in Sioux City. "I don't think that means we have to win necessarily, but I think that means we have to have a good showing."The comments stand in stark contrast to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who declared decisively that "we're going to win Iowa" on NBC's "Meet the Press" last Sunday. DeSantis wouldn't say whether he would end his campaign if he didn't finish first or second.DeSantis and Haley are likely battling for a second-place finish, since former President Donald Trump continues to sit comfortably atop the field in polls of Republicans in Iowa and nationwide.The DeSantis campaign has largely focused on Iowa, hoping to deny Trump a big win in the caucuses. A super PAC supporting DeSantis has invested more than $16 million in advertising and more on building a campaign organization.But DeSantis has faced growing pressure from Haley, who is piquing the interest of donors and voters looking for an alternative to Trump. She recently won the support of the Koch network, the largest conservative grassroots organization in the nation.Dan Dykstra asked Haley the question Friday, wondering what percentage she'd need to get in Iowa to be satisfied.Dykstra acknowledged that Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is supporting DeSantis, but "that doesn't mean I have to," the 68-year-old attorney said. The Sioux City Republican will likely choose Haley or DeSantis on Jan. 15, but he hasn't committed just yet.What he really wanted to know: How would Haley, or any candidate, deny Trump the nomination? Haley said a strong showing in Iowa would tee up a favorable match-up between her and the former president in her home state of South Carolina."If she can beat DeSantis and keep the momentum going," Dykstra said, "then I think that's a big deal."

SIOUX CITY, Iowa —

For Nikki Haley, a win in Iowa doesn't necessarily mean a win in the state's Republican presidential caucuses.

"The way I look at it, we just need to have a good showing in Iowa," the former South Carolina governor said Friday in response to a question during a town hall event in Sioux City. "I don't think that means we have to win necessarily, but I think that means we have to have a good showing."

The comments stand in stark contrast to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who declared decisively that "we're going to win Iowa" on NBC's "Meet the Press" last Sunday. DeSantis wouldn't say whether he would end his campaign if he didn't finish first or second.

DeSantis and Haley are likely battling for a second-place finish, since former President Donald Trump continues to sit comfortably atop the field in polls of Republicans in Iowa and nationwide.

The DeSantis campaign has largely focused on Iowa, hoping to deny Trump a big win in the caucuses. A super PAC supporting DeSantis has invested more than $16 million in advertising and more on building a campaign organization.

But DeSantis has faced growing pressure from Haley, who is piquing the interest of donors and voters looking for an alternative to Trump. She recently won the support of the Koch network, the largest conservative grassroots organization in the nation.

Dan Dykstra asked Haley the question Friday, wondering what percentage she'd need to get in Iowa to be satisfied.

Dykstra acknowledged that Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is supporting DeSantis, but "that doesn't mean I have to," the 68-year-old attorney said. The Sioux City Republican will likely choose Haley or DeSantis on Jan. 15, but he hasn't committed just yet.

What he really wanted to know: How would Haley, or any candidate, deny Trump the nomination? Haley said a strong showing in Iowa would tee up a favorable match-up between her and the former president in her home state of South Carolina.

"If she can beat DeSantis and keep the momentum going," Dykstra said, "then I think that's a big deal."

Nikki Haley looks for a strong showing, not necessarily a win, in Iowa caucuses

GET OUR POLITICS NEWSLETTER

Top Picks