Haley-supporting super PAC criticizes DeSantis debate as ‘unmemorable’

The Main Super PAC Supporting Nikki Haley’s Presidential Run Critiques Ron DeSantis

The main super⁢ PAC⁤ supporting ‌former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley’s ‍run for president panned Gov. Ron⁣ DeSantis (R-FL) as ⁣irrelevant after a Wednesday debate performance it called “forgettable.”

“While they would have you think differently,⁣ the fact remains that Ron ⁣DeSantis had the most to lose and did not have the night he needed,” Harris wrote. “With a campaign that’s ‌been hemorrhaging support, dropping in the polls ‍and is on its seventh reboot ​since​ his June kick-off, DeSantis needed to do more than just exist.”

“In fact,⁤ he wasn’t memorable, and his remarks were forgettable,” he added.

DeSantis spoke for a combined 10⁢ minutes throughout the two-hour debate, the⁣ fourth-highest of any candidate, but ‌his subdued performance, ⁤and the decision of his⁢ rivals to ignore him, led pundits to describe him as a⁢ “loser” of the event.

Haley’s Stock Rises as ​DeSantis Falls

Yet Harris argued Haley’s stock is rising as DeSantis’s falls, pointing to a Democratic-aligned poll of Wisconsin independent voters, 45% of whom said she won the debate, compared to 24% for DeSantis.

In particular, her exchanges with Ramaswamy on foreign policy and her willingness to criticize Trump directly — ⁤she called​ him the “most disliked politician in America” — earned her⁢ media attention.

“There’s a ⁢good rule of thumb in debates:⁣ If you’re⁢ not being heard and no ⁣one is focused on you, ⁤it just means you aren’t relevant anymore,” ​Harris said in a dig at DeSantis.

Momentum and Fundraising

Each candidate has sought to project ⁢momentum‍ following‌ the debate. The Haley campaign called the 24 hours that followed “the best⁢ fundraising day of the campaign,” while DeSantis’s camp touted a $1 million haul.

“Ron DeSantis showed Wednesday night‍ that he is a proven leader who ⁢will deliver results as president, and we are ‍thrilled with the flood of support we have received since his debate victory,”‍ campaign manager James Uthmeier said in a statement to ‌the Washington Examiner. “We look forward to building on this momentum​ in the weeks⁢ and months ahead as ⁤the Governor continues ‌to outwork everyone in this race‌ as he lays out his vision to ⁤reverse our‌ nation’s decline​ and revive the ‍American Dream.”

Challenges for‍ Haley and DeSantis

Haley has‌ ground ‌to make up if ⁢she wants to remain ‌competitive in the ‍race. She registered at 6% support in the latest ⁢poll of Iowa Republican voters, behind⁢ Trump, DeSantis, and her home state colleague Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC). She ‌is tied for ⁣sixth place⁤ in the latest poll out of New​ Hampshire.

Meanwhile, DeSantis, ​despite posting strong fundraising numbers, has troubles of his own. He has undergone​ multiple campaign shake-ups as donors complain about a slide ⁣in the polls. He trails⁤ Trump,‌ who skipped Wednesday’s debate, nationally by 41 points ​in the RealClearPolitics average.

Encouragement to Drop ​Out

Without naming names, Harris encouraged ‍those candidates who failed to stand out ⁣to‍ consider dropping out of the race.

“Those who got lost in⁢ the coverage should ⁤take a ​second⁢ look at whether it’s​ really in the best interest of our country and shared goal to defeat Donald Trump and​ Joe Biden⁣ that they continue on with⁣ their campaigns,” he said.

Eight candidates⁣ ultimately attended the debate, several of whom had ⁤breakout moments of their own, among them ⁣former Vice President Mike ⁤Pence and ex-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Scott, who is competing with Haley for support in South Carolina, offered a more restrained debate performance.

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