Republican debate: Haley unveils DeSantis attack ad hitting at declining poll numbers and internal strife

EXCLUSIVE — Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley‘s campaign is pushing out a new digital ad ahead of the fourth Republican National Committee debate targeting Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), specifically for his declining polls and internal disputes within his campaign and Super PAC.

In a two-minute clip previewed exclusively to the Washington Examiner, several pundits and anchors across various channels and networks are cut together talking about the developments with DeSantis’s super PAC Never Back Down, which has lost a number of senior staff in the last two weeks, as well as his weakening position as the top alternative to former President Donald Trump.

“Ron DeSantis spent $100 million to lose half his support. Nikki Haley has surged in to second place in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina because voters know she is the best challenger to Donald Trump and Joe Biden,” Haley spokesperson Ken Farnaso said in a statement.

One pundit featured in the Haley campaign’s video even suggests DeSantis’s campaign is “over now.”

The video will appear on the Haley campaign’s accounts on various platforms and on Haley-aligned accounts. The campaign may also put money behind the ad on some digital platforms.

Haley and DeSantis, alongside Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, will face off once again in the fourth Republican debate at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The two candidates, who are fighting for the opportunity to take Trump on one-on-one, have been engaged in a mudslinging battle, primarily attacking each other as opposed to Trump, the front-runner of the GOP race. This comes as pundits, donors, and voters increasingly encourage non-Trump supporting Republicans to coalesce behind one alternative.

While DeSantis was once viewed as the only viable alternative, his poll numbers have stagnated and declined, and he has lost the confidence of some large Republican donors. On the other hand, Haley has seen a boost in her own numbers and support since her debate debut in August. However, DeSantis’s campaign and other Haley critics argue that she is too “moderate” and wouldn’t be able to defeat Trump in a primary race.