The influential network associated with billionaire Charles Koch will no longer throw its money behind former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the Republican presidential primary and will instead focus on key Senate and House races, the group announced in an email to staff obtained by CNN.
“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 optimizing our resources for maximum impact towards our goals,” Americans for Prosperity President and CEO Emily Seidel wrote.
Americans for Prosperity Action’s endorsement in November was a significant boost for Haley as she sought to become the leading alternative to former President Donald Trump in the GOP primary. The conservative group, which pledged to back a single contender in the GOP presidential primary for the first time in its history, deployed its vast resources and standing army of activists on behalf of the former United Nations ambassador. But while the race has come down to Haley and Trump, the former president remains the dominant front-runner after a strong victory in Haley’s home state on Saturday.
Seidel emphasized that AFP Action is still standing with Haley, even if it’s no longer spending to boost her campaign, writing that she “has shown us again and again that we made the right decision in supporting her candidacy and she continues to have our strong endorsement.”
“She has made it clear that she will continue to fight and we wholeheartedly support her in this effort. But given the challenges in the primary states ahead, we don’t believe any outside group can make a material difference to widen her path to victory,” she added.
Haley’s campaign spokesperson, Olivia Perez-Cubas,…
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