Haley's Support for Trump May Not Influence Her Backers to Do the Same
She attracted voters from the former president during the primary, even after her withdrawal from the race.
TroibNews 
Nikki Haley has clearly aligned herself with Team Trump, yet not all of her supporters share that sentiment.
Former state campaign chairs for Haley’s recently ended presidential campaign are increasingly voicing opposition to the former president. Notably, Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson declined to endorse Donald Trump on Monday, while others are supporting Vice President Kamala Harris instead, including some in Iowa and Michigan.
In addition, some Haley supporters are mobilizing for Harris, aiming to collect millions for advertisements targeting Haley’s base. Others engage in informal strategies to persuade fellow disillusioned Republicans to choose the Democratic candidate.
“Most of us are pretty disgusted with Trump and think he would be a disaster. And if you really believe that, then you can’t sit on the sidelines,” former Maine GOP Rep. David Emery stated, highlighting the efforts of Haley supporters now rallying Republicans to back Harris.
Emery remarked that Harris “is trying to take a bit more of a moderate course than I might have expected, and I think she’ll be fine.”
Despite dropping out, Haley had continued to attract some voters from Trump during the primary. Although it’s uncertain how many of her Republican followers now support the Democratic nominee—and it could represent just a small fraction—their reluctance to back Trump could pose risks for him, especially given the tight nature of the upcoming presidential race.
During her primary run, Haley garnered over 4 million votes, including nearly 1 million from battleground states critical to the general election. This diverse voting bloc of Republicans, independents, and even some Democrats, which once signaled Trump’s potential vulnerability with moderate voters, could prove pivotal in a close race between Trump and Harris.
Harris’ campaign appears to be more actively courting this group compared to Trump, igniting concerns among Republicans that this bloc could sway the election in Harris’ favor—organizing events and targeting Republicans, particularly in Pennsylvania.
Haley reached out to Trump by endorsing him in May, more than two months post-campaign. Most Republicans who supported her in the primaries are likely inclined to align with the party come November, regardless of their feelings about Trump.
Nevertheless, many of Haley’s supporters belong to the “double-hater” demographic, disillusioned with both Trump and President Joe Biden. Despite her endorsement, Haley is not fully aligning herself with Trump’s rhetoric. On her new radio show, she made it known that she has not forgotten Trump’s past insults.
“I have issues with him, as well. I have not forgotten what he said about me,” she mentioned. “I've not forgotten what he said about my husband or his, you know, deployment time or his military service. I haven't forgotten about his or his campaign's tactics from, you know, putting a bird cage outside our hotel room to calling me ‘bird brain.’ I haven't forgotten any of that.”
Her supporters are echoing similar sentiments. Alissa Baker, co-chair of Haley’s Virginia leadership team, is a registered Republican who is leaning toward Trump but has yet to commit.
“I think there's sort of a mentality of, well, you're Republicans, so you're gonna come home, right?” Baker said, noting the difference in outreach strategies. “There’s a mindset of, we don't have to reach out because you're Republicans, as opposed to the Harris campaign, which feels like we have to reach out because you're not our core voter population.”
Baker also expressed that “a lot of times we see him play to the base... you've got them, say something to the rest of us,” highlighting her hope for more inclusive dialogue from Trump’s campaign.
A former senior Haley campaign official speculated that “political tribal instincts kick in when you get down to the wire,” though they asserted, “that's not everyone.”
While Trump’s campaign is focused on mobilizing his base through hardline stances, the Harris campaign is actively holding events to engage Republican voters in swing states, running ads featuring former Trump officials critical of him. Recently, they launched a campaign in Pennsylvania showcasing a farmer and two-time Trump voter now supporting Harris.
The campaign also reported a surge in members for an Arizona Republicans for Harris group, with 120 people currently onboard. Austin Weatherford, Harris' national Republican outreach director and a former aide to a Republican turned Trump critic, emphasized they are “seeing a surge in support,” but “aren’t taking anyone for granted.”
“Trump has basically said he doesn't want anything to do with Haley voters,” remarked Robert Schwartz, a senior adviser and Michigan director of Haley Voters for Harris. He criticized Trump’s choices, particularly JD Vance, as alienating to Haley supporters and identified potential candidates who could have been more appealing.
Haley Voters for Harris has ambitions to allocate between $5 million and $10 million on digital ads aimed at Haley supporters, though the timing of funding remains in flux.
The potential for Harris’ campaign to sway Republican voters is uncertain, given that most will likely support Trump. Yet, even minor shifts in voter sentiment can have significant implications in a tight election, and Haley's constituents not yet committed to Trump convey a need for more persuasive outreach.
"Anyone who wants to make America great again, secure our southern border, restore law and order and bring down inflation only has one option on the ballot, and that option is President Donald J. Trump,” declared Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. “This election is a binary choice between a successful, former president and a failing current vice president in Kamala Harris... We welcome all Americans who share these values to join our team.”
Though Haley remains supportive of Trump—having recently sent out a fundraising appeal for him—discussions have surfaced between aides of both candidates about conducting joint campaign events.
A Trump campaign official downplayed the significance of Harris' efforts, claiming internal data shows Trump enjoys overwhelming support from Republicans.
“To the voters who say we haven't done anything to reach out to them, there's no better spokesperson to speak to former Nikki Haley voters than Nikki Haley herself,” the official stated, reminding that she has endorsed Trump and actively fundraised on his behalf.
In Pennsylvania, the numbers from Haley’s Republican primary votes, where 150,000 Republicans supported her even after she suspended her campaign, signal potential challenges for Trump; he had lost the state to Biden by about 80,000 votes in 2020.
“It is telling that she kept receiving thousands of votes even after she suspended her campaign. That by definition is a sign of resisting the Republican nominee,” commented Republican pollster Whit Ayres, noting that Haley voters are conflicted between the two candidates.
In Georgia, a recent Fox News poll indicated a preference for Harris among independents, suggesting Trump may need to adjust his approach to engage with non-MAGA Republicans to regain an advantage.
Vermont state Rep. Ashley Bartley, a self-identified “Never Trumper” who co-led Haley’s team there, expressed disappointment over Haley’s endorsement of Trump, stating her group is now grappling with their options.
“A lot of the team still feel similar to me—we do not and will not support Donald Trump. I think some of them do feel comfortable voting for Kamala Harris,” she added. “But the others... are going to write in [Gov.] Phil Scott.”
Bartley conveyed that while she won’t support Trump, her stance on Harris remains undetermined.
“I don’t remember the last time I walked into a voting booth unsure of which way I was going to go vote,” she noted. “This is a new one for me, and I think a lot of people are feeling this way.”
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
Former state campaign chairs for Haley’s recently ended presidential campaign are increasingly voicing opposition to the former president. Notably, Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson declined to endorse Donald Trump on Monday, while others are supporting Vice President Kamala Harris instead, including some in Iowa and Michigan.
In addition, some Haley supporters are mobilizing for Harris, aiming to collect millions for advertisements targeting Haley’s base. Others engage in informal strategies to persuade fellow disillusioned Republicans to choose the Democratic candidate.
“Most of us are pretty disgusted with Trump and think he would be a disaster. And if you really believe that, then you can’t sit on the sidelines,” former Maine GOP Rep. David Emery stated, highlighting the efforts of Haley supporters now rallying Republicans to back Harris.
Emery remarked that Harris “is trying to take a bit more of a moderate course than I might have expected, and I think she’ll be fine.”
Despite dropping out, Haley had continued to attract some voters from Trump during the primary. Although it’s uncertain how many of her Republican followers now support the Democratic nominee—and it could represent just a small fraction—their reluctance to back Trump could pose risks for him, especially given the tight nature of the upcoming presidential race.
During her primary run, Haley garnered over 4 million votes, including nearly 1 million from battleground states critical to the general election. This diverse voting bloc of Republicans, independents, and even some Democrats, which once signaled Trump’s potential vulnerability with moderate voters, could prove pivotal in a close race between Trump and Harris.
Harris’ campaign appears to be more actively courting this group compared to Trump, igniting concerns among Republicans that this bloc could sway the election in Harris’ favor—organizing events and targeting Republicans, particularly in Pennsylvania.
Haley reached out to Trump by endorsing him in May, more than two months post-campaign. Most Republicans who supported her in the primaries are likely inclined to align with the party come November, regardless of their feelings about Trump.
Nevertheless, many of Haley’s supporters belong to the “double-hater” demographic, disillusioned with both Trump and President Joe Biden. Despite her endorsement, Haley is not fully aligning herself with Trump’s rhetoric. On her new radio show, she made it known that she has not forgotten Trump’s past insults.
“I have issues with him, as well. I have not forgotten what he said about me,” she mentioned. “I've not forgotten what he said about my husband or his, you know, deployment time or his military service. I haven't forgotten about his or his campaign's tactics from, you know, putting a bird cage outside our hotel room to calling me ‘bird brain.’ I haven't forgotten any of that.”
Her supporters are echoing similar sentiments. Alissa Baker, co-chair of Haley’s Virginia leadership team, is a registered Republican who is leaning toward Trump but has yet to commit.
“I think there's sort of a mentality of, well, you're Republicans, so you're gonna come home, right?” Baker said, noting the difference in outreach strategies. “There’s a mindset of, we don't have to reach out because you're Republicans, as opposed to the Harris campaign, which feels like we have to reach out because you're not our core voter population.”
Baker also expressed that “a lot of times we see him play to the base... you've got them, say something to the rest of us,” highlighting her hope for more inclusive dialogue from Trump’s campaign.
A former senior Haley campaign official speculated that “political tribal instincts kick in when you get down to the wire,” though they asserted, “that's not everyone.”
While Trump’s campaign is focused on mobilizing his base through hardline stances, the Harris campaign is actively holding events to engage Republican voters in swing states, running ads featuring former Trump officials critical of him. Recently, they launched a campaign in Pennsylvania showcasing a farmer and two-time Trump voter now supporting Harris.
The campaign also reported a surge in members for an Arizona Republicans for Harris group, with 120 people currently onboard. Austin Weatherford, Harris' national Republican outreach director and a former aide to a Republican turned Trump critic, emphasized they are “seeing a surge in support,” but “aren’t taking anyone for granted.”
“Trump has basically said he doesn't want anything to do with Haley voters,” remarked Robert Schwartz, a senior adviser and Michigan director of Haley Voters for Harris. He criticized Trump’s choices, particularly JD Vance, as alienating to Haley supporters and identified potential candidates who could have been more appealing.
Haley Voters for Harris has ambitions to allocate between $5 million and $10 million on digital ads aimed at Haley supporters, though the timing of funding remains in flux.
The potential for Harris’ campaign to sway Republican voters is uncertain, given that most will likely support Trump. Yet, even minor shifts in voter sentiment can have significant implications in a tight election, and Haley's constituents not yet committed to Trump convey a need for more persuasive outreach.
"Anyone who wants to make America great again, secure our southern border, restore law and order and bring down inflation only has one option on the ballot, and that option is President Donald J. Trump,” declared Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. “This election is a binary choice between a successful, former president and a failing current vice president in Kamala Harris... We welcome all Americans who share these values to join our team.”
Though Haley remains supportive of Trump—having recently sent out a fundraising appeal for him—discussions have surfaced between aides of both candidates about conducting joint campaign events.
A Trump campaign official downplayed the significance of Harris' efforts, claiming internal data shows Trump enjoys overwhelming support from Republicans.
“To the voters who say we haven't done anything to reach out to them, there's no better spokesperson to speak to former Nikki Haley voters than Nikki Haley herself,” the official stated, reminding that she has endorsed Trump and actively fundraised on his behalf.
In Pennsylvania, the numbers from Haley’s Republican primary votes, where 150,000 Republicans supported her even after she suspended her campaign, signal potential challenges for Trump; he had lost the state to Biden by about 80,000 votes in 2020.
“It is telling that she kept receiving thousands of votes even after she suspended her campaign. That by definition is a sign of resisting the Republican nominee,” commented Republican pollster Whit Ayres, noting that Haley voters are conflicted between the two candidates.
In Georgia, a recent Fox News poll indicated a preference for Harris among independents, suggesting Trump may need to adjust his approach to engage with non-MAGA Republicans to regain an advantage.
Vermont state Rep. Ashley Bartley, a self-identified “Never Trumper” who co-led Haley’s team there, expressed disappointment over Haley’s endorsement of Trump, stating her group is now grappling with their options.
“A lot of the team still feel similar to me—we do not and will not support Donald Trump. I think some of them do feel comfortable voting for Kamala Harris,” she added. “But the others... are going to write in [Gov.] Phil Scott.”
Bartley conveyed that while she won’t support Trump, her stance on Harris remains undetermined.
“I don’t remember the last time I walked into a voting booth unsure of which way I was going to go vote,” she noted. “This is a new one for me, and I think a lot of people are feeling this way.”
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
