Republican challenger Nikki Haley, Donald Trump’s last remaining rival for their party’s presidential nomination, has lost the support of Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action), the political wing of the conservative donor network led by billionaire Charles Koch, which announced it would no longer be supporting her campaign after her defeat in the South Carolina GOP primary on Saturday.
AFP senior adviser Emily Seidel reacted in a memo on Sunday: “With the South Carolina presidential primary this weekend and the Senate engagement really heating up, it’s time to take stock of where we are and – as we always do – make sure we’re optimising our resources for maximum impact towards our goals.”
Mr Trump particularly relished the news, writing on Truth Social that “Charles Koch and his group got played for suckers right from the beginning” and demoting Ms Haley from “Birdbrain” to “Braindead”.
Elsewhere, Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer, the Democratic governors of California and Michigan, were among those talking up President Joe Biden’s record in the White House over the weekend and warning voters of the dangers of a second presidency for Mr Trump.