Top Democratic Donor Donates $250,000 to Nikki Haley's Campaign

Reed Hoffman, billionaire co-founder of LinkedIn, joins Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JP Morgan Chase, in supporting Haley&#39 Campaign photo: DREW ANGERER/GETTY IMAGES

The Democratic Party megadonor has pledged $250,000 (£214,259) to support Nikki Haley's bid to challenge Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination.

Reed Hoffman, the billionaire co-founder of LinkedIn, recently donated funds to Stand For America (SFA), a political group supporting Ms. Haley.

Dmitry Mehlhorn, a political adviser to Mr. Hoffman, confirmed the donation, which was the first reports the New York Times.

Mr. Hoffman joins several other billionaire Democratic donors who believe Ms. Haley offers the best chance to fend off Mr. Trump.

They include Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JP Morgan Chase, and hedge fund manager Bill Ackman.

“Even if you are a very liberal Democrat, I encourage you to help Nikki Haley too,” Mr. Dimon said at a conference of global business leaders last week.

He added: “Get a Republican choice that may be better than Trump.»

«Republicans, independents or Democrats, we'll take them.»

The 77-year-old former president remains the Republican leader, but Haley is in second place in at least two key early states and ​​is the only contender with rising dynamics.

While the endorsement of a major Democratic donor risks backlash, it comes at a critical time, just weeks before the Republican primary kicks off in Iowa on Jan. 15.

Ms. Haley's opponents were quick to highlight the donation. although the former governor of South Carolina did not hide the fact that she was courting independents and even Democrats.

«Whether it's Republicans, independents or Democrats, we're going to take them,» she told Fox News, warning the GOP against isolating potential constituencies.

A spokesman for Ron DeSantis' campaign said: «It's no wonder why mega- Democratic donors and Wall Street executives are donating to Nikki Haley — they know she is a liberal and will do their bidding.»

Mr Trump's team has already called the intervention of Wall Street's biggest players an «unholy alliance» «globalist donors with special interests from both parties.»

He urged his grassroots donors to «fight back» in a recent fundraising email.

Nikki Haley is in second place in at least two key states and is the only contender with rising momentum Photo: MIKE SEGAR/REUTERS

News of Hoffman's donation comes on the eve of the fourth Republican primary debate, the last three of which have strengthened Haley's support both financially and in the media.

The 51-year-old was level with Mr DeSantis in the polls after her strong debate performance, and Trump began attacking her with the «birdbrain» moniker, highlighting her perceived threat.

Republican strategist Dennis Lennox suggested that Hoffman's donation may be an «incident». dirty tricks of Democrats meddling in the Republican sandbox.»

«If the check cashes, great — money is money — but such support plays right into the hands of the critics,» he said.

p>

Mr. Ackman, a longtime supporter of Democratic campaigns, recently called for Mr. Biden to «step aside» in 2024 , saying the president was “past his prime.”

“I’m much more open to Republican candidates than I am to re-electing President Biden,” Ackman told Bloomberg, adding he “endorsed” Ms. Haley .