Haley and DeSantis Look to Gain Momentum Following Sen. Scott’s Departure

Republican presidential candidates Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis are vying for Sen. Tim Scott’s supporters, endorsers, and donors — as well as his endorsement  — after Scott dropped out of the race for the party’s nomination.

Haley, a former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina governor, and DeSantis, governor of Florida, are expected to gain the most from Scott’s departure as the two leading candidates seeking to be an alternative to former President Donald Trump, The Wall Street Journal reported. 

Scott announced Sunday that he’s leaving the race. In recent months, he had been focusing his campaign in Iowa, but polls showed that he had the support of only 7% of likely caucus participants, with 10% listing him as their second choice. 

Haley needs a strong showing in South Carolina, where the fourth GOP primary is set for late February, and having Scott out of the race could give her the home-state advantage. 

Chad Walldorf, a South Carolina businessman who financially backed Scott, said he is encouraging donors to support Haley. 

“While she has spent significantly less than DeSantis, she has seen a tremendous rise in her support due to the excellent campaign that she is running,” Walldorf said in a draft copy of a letter he’s sending out. “I especially appreciate her telling it ‘like it is’ on issues like entitlement reform and our national interest in supporting Ukraine against Russia.”

DeSantis, also focused on Iowa, is scheduled to appear at an event this weekend focusing on evangelical Christians, a segment of voters on which Scott had been concentrating.

Scott left the race with a large war chest, with the third most cash on hand of any candidate in either party, coming in behind Trump and President Joe Biden. However, his donations started to drop along with his poll numbers. 

Haley and DeSantis have already spoken out about Scott.

Haley called him a “a good man of faith and an inspiration to so many” on social-media platform X.

DeSantis said in a tweet that Scott is a “strong conservative with bold ideas about how to get our country back on track” and that he will “be a leader in our party for years to come.”

Nathan Brand, a Scott spokesman, said Haley, DeSantis, Trump, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie reached out to Scott on Monday, adding that Scott has no plans immediately to endorse anyone. 

There has also been talk of Scott being a potential running mate for Trump, but Scott has said he’s not interested. Brand on Monday did not respond to a question about whether Scott has changed his mind, and Trump’s camp did not respond to a request for comment. 

Candidates have been dropping out of the race while Republican National Committee requirements to participate in debates have gotten tighter. Scott barely met the rules to make it onto the stage in last week’s debate. 

DeSantis, Haley, and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy are the only three candidates seen at this point who could qualify for the next RNC debate, scheduled for Dec. 6 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie could also still qualify, as his polling is in the high single digits in New Hampshire. 

Meanwhile, Haley’s campaign announced a $10 million advertising buy for Iowa and New Hampshire, starting in early December. She and DeSantis were tied with 16% each in the Iowa Poll, led by the Des Moines Register, with Trump at 43%.