Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley was questioned about why she is “wasting” money on television ads instead of using that money to go towards causes that help veterans.
During a meet and greet event at a Chick-fil-A over the weekend, Haley was asked about having spent millions of dollars on television advertisements. The unnamed man pointed out that while she had spent millions on advertisements, she hadn’t even “come close to beating Trump” in the Iowa caucuses.
Former President Donald Trump won the Iowa caucuses with 51% of the vote, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) coming in second with 21.2% of the vote. Haley came in third, receiving 19.1% of the vote, while entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy placed fourth with 7.7% of the vote.
“Can I ask you just like a tiny question?” the man asked Haley, to which she answered, “yeah.”
Met Nikki Haley just now at a Chic Fil A and she was not too happy to be asked why she is wasting so much money on tv ads when there are homeless veterans in the USA and she is going to lose to Trump anyways. pic.twitter.com/TW6UDx2Mpy
— Titus Frost ?? (@ImperatorTruth) January 20, 2024
“Do you think it’s responsible for politicians to spend like, a hundred million dollars in Iowa on TV ads, which go to, mainly news stations that have lied to us for years, when there’s homeless veterans out there that could use that money?” the man asked her. “When you didn’t even come close to beating Trump? And, you spent like a hundred million in TV ad money?”
Haley responded to the man’s comments by questioning whether he knew her husband was a veteran as well, adding that her husband was a “combat veteran.”
“Do you know that when the media doesn’t tell the truth, the whole reason you put commercials on is to tell the truth because the media doesn’t,” Haley informed the man.
“My point is, you’re not gonna beat Trump,” the man added. “And, all the money you’re wasting could go to better causes.”
As the man spoke, Haley acknowledged his points, telling him she appreciated that.
“That would make the Republican Party actually look better,” the man added.
In the aftermath of the results of the Iowa caucuses, Ramaswamy and DeSantis announced that they would be suspending their campaigns and endorsed Trump.
Haley has garnered support from three super PACs – the SFA Fund, Americans for Prosperity, and Independents Moving the Needle- which has spent more than $24 million on television, radio, and online advertisements in an effort to target voters in New Hampshire, ahead of Tuesday’s primary, according to Politico. Additionally, Haley’s campaign has contributed $4.7 million to go towards advertisements.
The amount spent on advertising between the three super PACs supporting Haley, and her campaign is reportedly almost double the $15.3 million that the Trump campaign and his super PAC, MAGA Inc, has spent on advertisements.
SFA Fund reportedly spent more than $1.7 million on an advertisement used by Haley’s campaign in Iowa, to attack DeSantis as being a “disaster” and to highlight her performance in polls compared to Trump and DeSantis, according to CNN.
Ahead of the New Hampshire primary, Trump has a reported average of 66.2%, while Haley is polling at 12.3%, according to FiveThirtyEight.
A CNN poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire found that 50% of Republican Party voters would support Trump, while 39% of voters would support Haley.
