Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley closed out her pitch to Iowa caucusgoers Monday by painting an optimistic picture offering the country a new opportunity.
During an appearance on Fox News’s Fox & Friends on Monday hours before the caucuses begin in the Hawkeye State, Haley said her campaign has pulled in Republicans, Democrats, and independents because the country doesn’t want to see a 2020 rematch between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.
“When you see the number of people who have never caucused before, who are coming out for the first time … who say, ‘None of us want a Trump-Biden rematch,’” she said. “That’s why they’re coming to us. That’s why I think we’re the only one moving up in the polls and everyone else is moving down.”
In her closing appeal to Iowans, she emphasized a contrast to Trump and Biden by saying that the country does not need “four more years of chaos.”
“We don’t need four more years of chaos, I’m an accountant. I know what it takes to get the economy back on track. I’ve been [a] two-term governor that took a double-digit unemployment state and turned it into an economic powerhouse. I dealt with Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, every day. I know what it means to put them on their heels and prevent war and protect Americans,” Haley said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) also tried to pitch himself as an alternative to Trump and a unifier in the party.
DeSantis defended Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) against attacks from the former president and argued Republicans should not be attacking others in the party for supporting opposing candidates.
“We’re all Republicans. I want all Republicans to do well,” DeSantis said. “There’s a Republican governor that’s endorsed another candidate, but they’re doing well. I’m not going to trash them. I’m glad that they are doing it. I think every Republican should look at Gov. Reynolds and say, ‘You know what? She’s getting the job done.’ I think with Trump, that’s not how he sees it. She didn’t endorse him, so then he trashes her.”
“But you know you can’t build a movement like that. You’ve got to have a strong tent, and you’ve got to have anyone that’s pulling in the right direction, they need to be supporting. So, I’m glad she is supporting me,” he added.
Trump has repeatedly attacked Reynolds since she endorsed DeSantis, including on Sunday when he labeled her as “disloyal.” Another early primary state governor, Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH), endorsed Haley, but since then, DeSantis has not attacked Sununu, while Trump has.
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When asked to give his final appeal to Iowans, DeSantis claimed that he is the only one “running for your issues” while providing a contrast between Trump and Haley, who both lead him in various polls.
Trump is considered the favorite going into the caucuses on Monday, polling ahead of all other candidates by a significant margin. Trump leads the field with 52.5%, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average, compared to Haley at 18.7% and DeSantis at 15.5%.