Haley on DeSantis heel rumors: ‘We'll see if he can run in them’

There’s no definitive proof that DeSantis is walking around on his tip-toes, but experts previously told POLITICO they think it’s very likely.

Haley on DeSantis heel rumors: ‘We'll see if he can run in them’

GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley said she wants her rival Ron DeSantis to be open about possibly wearing height raisers in his boots — or heels, as some would call them.

When Charlamagne Tha God raised the issue to Haley, the former U.N. ambassador who has made the fact that she wears heels a defining campaign theme in a field dominated by men, admitted that she’s curious to see if the Florida governor will stumble… metaphorically.

“Are you wearing higher heels than Ron DeSantis next week at the debate so you can look taller than him on the stage?” Charlamagne Tha God, who is guest hosting “The Daily Show,” asked Haley Wednesday night.

“I don't know. We'll have to figure that out. I can tell you I've always talked about my high heels. I've never hid that from anybody,” Haley responded. “I've always said, don't wear them if you can't run in them. So we'll see if he can run in them.”

DeSantis’ campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, but has vehemently denied the heel accusations in the past. In a POLITICO article this week about the matter, a DeSantis campaign spokesperson called it a "hit piece" and said the presidential candidate doesn't pad his boots.



In the last few weeks, posts mocking DeSantis’ strangely shaped cowboy boots have flooded social media, with online sleuths trying to determine whether he’s wearing height-boosting insoles to pump himself up against taller candidates. (DeSantis is believed to measure up to 5’11”, while Donald Trump stands at 6’3”.)

There’s no definitive proof that DeSantis is walking around on his tip-toes, but three experts told POLITICO earlier this week that they believe it’s very likely.

“I’ve dealt with these politicians many times,” said Zephan Parker, a Houston bootmaker who says his company has made height-increasing cowboy boots for a number of Texan politicians. “I’ve helped them with their lifts. [DeSantis] is wearing lifts; there’s no doubt.”