Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley is taking heat for comments she made about Disney and one of her primary rivals.
During an appearance on Fox News, the former South Carolina governor was asked about Disney’s lawsuit accusing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) of a “targeted campaign of government retaliation.”
“As governor, I took a double-digit unemployment state and I turned it into an economic powerhouse,” Haley responded.
She went on, “Businesses were my partners because if you take care of your businesses you take care of your economy, your economy takes care of your people, and everyone wins.”
Haley shared the clip and wrote, “Hey [Disney], my home state will happily accept your 70,000+ jobs if you want to leave Florida. We’ve got great weather, great people, and it’s always a great day in South Carolina!”
“SC’s not woke, but we’re not sanctimonious about it either,” she added.
Watch the video below:
Hey @Disney, my home state will happily accept your 70,000+ jobs if you want to leave Florida.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) April 26, 2023
We’ve got great weather, great people, and it’s always a great day in South Carolina!
SC’s not woke, but we’re not sanctimonious about it either. pic.twitter.com/uf1PWQjGc5
Conservative writer Jordan Schachtel wrote, “Nice of you to sell South Carolinians to the groomers without their consent.”
Nice of you to sell South Carolinians to the groomers without their consent.
— Jordan Schachtel (@JordanSchachtel) April 26, 2023
“Whoever on your team thinks this is a good tweet, fire them,” tweeted actor Matthew Marsden.
Whoever on your team thinks this is a good tweet, fire them.
— Matthew Marsden (@matthewdmarsden) April 26, 2023
Conservative commentator Dana Loesch tweeted, “Running to the left of DeSantis is a bad look.”
Running to the left of DeSantis is a bad look. https://t.co/q9Pxoas3fo
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) April 26, 2023
“Nikki Haley is working on being as a unlikable as Hillary Clinton. Keep going, sweetie!” tweeted conservative commentator Tomi Lahren.
Nikki Haley is working on being as a unlikable as Hillary Clinton. Keep going, sweetie! https://t.co/VWZd67T5kZ
— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) April 26, 2023
The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh wrote, “The entire Republican field is attacking DeSantis from the Left. I don’t care if you’re a Trump supporter, you have to see what a disaster it will be if this tactic is allowed to work.”
The entire Republican field is attacking DeSantis from the Left. I don't care if you're a Trump supporter, you have to see what a disaster it will be if this tactic is allowed to work. https://t.co/sI8Efd5DHF
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 26, 2023
Sarah Longwell, the publisher of The Bulwark, tweeted, “Ah, I see we’re running against Ron DeSantis—who, interestingly, isn’t the front runner. I’m tryna think. When have I seen this strategy before? How’d it go?”
Ah, I see we’re running against Ron DeSantis—who, interestingly, isn’t the front runner. I’m tryna think. When have I seen this strategy before? How’d it go? https://t.co/eLUbouMZFS
— Sarah Longwell (@SarahLongwell25) April 26, 2023
Never Back Down, a Super PAC supporting DeSantis, wrote, “Embracing woke corporations and copying Trump’s lame attack at the same time? Someone’s trying really hard to audition for VP!”
Embracing woke corporations and copying Trump's lame attack at the same time?
— Never Back Down (@NvrBackDown24) April 26, 2023
Someone's trying really hard to audition for VP! https://t.co/5nh7Ja1CIW
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S. Inc. filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida on Wednesday.
It alleges the governor conducted a “targeted campaign of government retaliation” against the company.
The feud started in 2022 after Disney condemned the state’s Parental Rights in Education law.
CNN noted in February that DeSantis signed a new law that “amounts to a state takeover of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the government body that has given Disney unique powers in Central Florida for more than half a century. It allows the governor to replace the district’s existing board – mostly people with ties to Disney – with a five-member body that he hand-picks.”
During an event earlier this month, the governor vowed, “We’ll make sure that we keep [Disney] in their pen, one way or another.”
