Nikki Haley, the last holdout in vying for the GOP nod against former President Donald Trump in the presidential race, has an unusual fundraising tactic.
She is seeking donors from President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign in an effort to band with those who are against Trump, Politico reported.
Haley, a former U.N. Ambassador and former governor of South Carolina, is getting thousands of Biden supporters to donate to her.
“More than 5,200 donors to Biden’s 2020 campaign have backed Haley financially, including roughly 1,600 who gave more than $500,000 in January alone,” according to a Politico analysis of Haley’s most recent fundraising report, filed Tuesday night with the Federal Election Commission.
The uniqueness of this strategy is not lost on those watching.
“Crossover donors, who give to politicians of both parties, are generally rare in politics, making the number of donors who previously gave to Biden notable,” Politico reported. “It’s especially striking because Haley is currently running in the Republican primary to be the nominee to take on Biden in November.”
Even though she is getting donations from Biden supporters, the majority of her donations come from Republicans.
“Over 3,000 large-dollar donors who previously gave to Trump in 2020 financially supported her campaign in January, and nearly 10,000 overall this cycle,” Politico reported. “Taken together, Haley’s ability to draw from both former Biden and Trump donors illustrates the coalition she has sought to piece together, which includes moderate and independent voters who are unhappy with Biden, Trump or both.”
Haley has raised $11.5 million and spent $13.1 million last month, according to the report her campaign filed Tuesday.
“That makes January — the month of the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary — her highest-grossing month so far as she emerged as the sole GOP challenger to Trump,” Politico reported. “Her campaign reported having just shy of $13 million in the bank as of Jan. 31, compared to more than $30 million cash on hand reported by Trump’s campaign.”
Although she trails Trump as a GOP nominee, she fares better than Trump in a race against Biden, polls show.