At this point, it’s no secret that former President Donald Trump is the GOP member to beat. However, that’s not who a number of Republican megadonors are throwing their money behind.
It was announced on Tuesday that Americans for Prosperity (AFP) Action, a libertarian political advocacy group funded by a number of industrial and corporate megadonors such as billionaire Charles Koch, is endorsing former South Carolina governor and Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley for the White House, CNN reported.
Naturally, this leads to a number of questions. Most importantly, why would they choose Haley, especially this late in the game and at a time when it seems pretty obvious to everyone else that Trump will be the primary winner?
Currently, Trump is polling at a whopping 58.7 percent, which is definitely saying something considering there are still a good number of GOP candidates in the running, including Haley and Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis. According to FiveThirtyEight, Haley is polling at a mere 9.9 percent nationally. Trump is nearly leading by 50 points.
And yet, AFP Action just threw their millions behind Haley, who, I might add, trails DeSantis by about 4 points.
Now, to be sure, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are throwing their money away. That kind of money could do wonders for any candidate, allowing her to make up serious ground. The question is, will it be enough?
It also makes us wonder just why Haley has been chosen over either man ahead of her in the race.
As several have pointed out, they likely see Haley as the best “establishment neoconservative” and alternative to the anti-establishment Trump, as Vanity Fair has labeled Haley. And since Newsweek says DeSantis is basically “Trump on steroids,” the choice is clear.
After all, it doesn’t take a long look at AFP Action or its funder,Charles Koch, to see that establishment neo-conservativism is right up their alley.
Koch is a social engineer, believing society can be molded to fit his purpose, much like George Soros. And if he’s backing Haley, perhaps she’s even more establishment than we thought.
