Nikki Haley campaigning at Twin Barns Brewery in Meredith, New Hampshire Photo: CJ GUNTHER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock < p >Nikki Haley laughed off Donald Trump's nickname for her as «Birdbrain» as she continued to make gains in the polls.
The insults, the former South Carolina governor said, were evidence of her rivals' panic.
“Look, all these guys know our poll numbers are going up, so they're all starting to win,” Haley told Fox News.
“[Trump's] nickname is losing its meaning, it's not even a funny nickname. I don't even think it was that great,» she added.
«But you look at everything else he says, he knows how strong I was when it came to China. In fact, I was tougher on China than he was.”
With Ms. Haley emerging as a potential chief rival to Mr. Trump, the former president deemed her enough of a threat to give her the dubious distinction of an offensive nickname.
Not only did he give his former UN representative the nickname “Birdbrain,” but a member of his staff left a birdcage and food outside her hotel room.
Although polls still give Mr. Trump the lead in the race for the Republican nomination, Ms. Haley threatens to eclipse Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the most likely alternative.
They were neck and neck on Thursday, with Mr. DeSantis holding a slim two-point lead. Ms. Haley is gaining ground or ahead in the polls in key primary states: Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
And multiple polls show Ms. Haley will beat Joe Biden in presidential elections. Fox News gives her an 11-point lead, while CNN leads her by six points.
Her strong performance in the candidate debates did not go unnoticed, including her brutal defeat of early rebel Vivek Ramaswamy.
It is reported that Donald Trump's staff left food and a birdcage outside Nikki Haley's hotel room. Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Barria
More importantly, Ms. Haley is winning the support of major corporate donors, whose support is vital to covering the astronomical costs of staging a presidential debate.
In late October, Ms. Haley impressed Jamie Dimon, the chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, in a phone call.
And last week, Charles Koch, perhaps the most powerful conservative donor, publicly endorsed Haley.
Charles Koch, perhaps the most powerful conservative donor, publicly endorsed Haley.
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Emily Seidel, a senior adviser at AFP Action, a Koch-backed political network, praised Haley in her note.
“Now is the time to help rally voters behind a candidate who can win. primary elections and win the general election. This candidate is Nikki Haley,” she wrote.
Kenneth Langone, the billionaire co-founder of the DIY chain Home Depot, has already donated to her campaign.
“I'm a long way from making a decision—things could change—but I'm very impressed with her,” he said. New York Times.
“I think she's a viable candidate. I would definitely choose her over Trump.»
Speaking to the same newspaper, Eric Levin, a Republican fundraiser, said some powerful corporate players believe Haley's rise in the polls shows Donald Trump can be stopped.
Mr DeSantis, whose mess is campaign, highlighted by the abrupt departure of the head of his political action committee after just nine days, attacked Ms. Haley.
Last week, he campaigned in South Carolina and undermined her record as governor of the state.< /p>
Ms. Haley was not impressed.
“I think he was after my reputation as governor because he is losing. I mean, who else can spend $100 million (£78.8 million) and lose half the polls?
“My record as governor is clear. I took a state that had an unemployment rate of 11 percent, we brought it down to 4 percent. We were nicknamed the «Beast of the Southeast» because we created so many jobs and attracted so many companies.»
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