Biden Camp Looks To Reel In Nikki Haley Donors

Members of President Joe Biden’s campaign finance team began privately reaching out to Nikki Haley donors on Wednesday after the former U.N. Ambassador announced she was suspending her presidential campaign.

The overtures to donors, which were confirmed by a person directly familiar with them, were part of a larger effort to welcome those in Haley’s camp aggrieved by the end of her race against former President Donald Trump.

Haley’s aides made clear that they were not pleased with Trump’s criticism of their boss, including a far-from-magnanimous statement he issued upon her leaving the race. Haley herself declined to endorse the former president and stated that he had to earn the backing of her supporters.

Biden allies hope that the former U.N. Ambassador will remain a thorn in Trump’s side, while providing a permission structure for her supporters to sit out the election or even back Biden. Haley suggested during an interview on Sunday she is no longer bound by an RNC loyalty pledge to back the eventual Republican nominee.

“Just because Nikki Haley isn't in the race any more, the threat that Trump poses to the country isn't any less dangerous and the risk isn't any less great,” said Jesse Ferguson, a Democratic strategist who works with several pro-Biden groups. “For these Haley donors and Haley voters, the choice may be different, but the reason to make the choice is the same.”

Trump has made no attempt to win over Haley or backchannel to her team. He did not mention Haley when he briefly called for unity during a speech on Tuesday night. The next day, he attacked her in a statement following her announcement before also inviting “all of the Haley supporters to join the greatest movement in the history of our nation.”

And the overtures may not be needed. Trump’s campaign received outreach from Haley backers on Wednesday, according to a senior adviser, who would not provide additional details.

Trump’s team believes that the threat Haley backers pose to his eventual success in November is overstated, and they point to exit polls that show some of Haley’s support did not come from Republicans but independents and Democrats who wanted to block Trump. And they have watched with pleasure as a number of prominent Republicans, including longtime skeptics, have come into the fold.

Senate leader Mitch McConnell offered an endorsement of Trump, however tepid, the morning after Trump’s Super Tuesday wins and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, the chair of the Republican Governors Association, endorsed Trump after holding out for weeks.

The contrasting approaches to Haley’s exit provide an early illustration of how the coming campaign will be run. While Trump has tried to woo traditionally Democratic constituencies like union workers and Black and Hispanic voters, he has made clear that he is not in the business of softening his approach to win over his skeptics. His team back channeled to McConnell’s office over the past few weeks, but Trump himself never offered any apology for his conduct on Jan. 6, which had led the Minority Leader to publicly break with him.

A Trump spokesperson last month said they expected Haley would eventually “drop down to kiss ass when she quits, like she always does.” And his campaign has scoffed at the idea he should suddenly welcome Haley with open arms after she forcefully criticized the former president in the closing weeks of her campaign.

In an interview with Mark Levin before polls closed on Tuesday night, Trump called Haley “crazy” and a “very angry person.”

“And at the beginning she was very nice, very respectful, and then — she’s gone crazy, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” Trump said. “We’ll see if she straightens out. Maybe she will.”

Biden has openly courted Trump-skeptical Republicans, including in a statement he issued upon Haley dropping out of the race. Those involved with the efforts noted that though they’ve reached out to Haley donors, they’ve done so sensitively, aware that their preferred candidate dropped out of the race less than 24 hours ago.

“Donald Trump made it clear he doesn’t want Nikki Haley’s supporters. I want to be clear: There is a place for them in my campaign,” Biden said in his statement.