MIAMI.- The race for the Republican nomination for the White House has featured not only former President Donald Trump and his astonishing numbers in the polls. The fight for second place between Ron DeSantis y Nikki Haley It has also added a bit of spice to the Republican Party primaries.
The two pre-candidates, one the governor of Florida and the former United States ambassador to the United Nations who challenges him, have set their sights and great efforts on the state of Iowawhere in about three weeks the first electoral assemblies will be held with a view to the presidential elections.
Both DeSantis and Haley have the serious intention of winning or at least obtaining good results in Iowa. The caucus in that state, scheduled for January 15, has great political and media importance for being the first on the primary calendar.
Attacks DeSantis
In one of its most recent actions, the DeSantis campaign published on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, an ad directed at Haley, in which the governor assures that “there is no more false politician” than the former ambassador.
“Other than Hillary Clinton, has there ever been a more disingenuous politician than Tricky Nikki?” is said in the video, which also shows clips of Haley apparently contradicting herself in previous statements. She even accuses her of promoting relations with China.
Days before, DeSantis launched a website in which accuses Haley of running for the White House only to become Trump’s choice as his vice presidential formula.
Contraataca Haley
Haley has defended herself. “They have not heard me in any town hall, the press can say it, I have not spoken negatively about anyone. But if you have to lie to win, you don’t deserve to win,” the former South Carolina governor recently said in an Iowa legislative chamber.
“I’m watching the ads you see on television,” he said. “Ron DeSantis has not placed a single truthful ad about me.”
Earlier in the week, Haley’s campaign released a digital ad in which attacks DeSantis for his position on social rights. Likewise, the former ambassador has attacked him for some measures adopted as governor of Florida.
Meanwhile, the two candidates have literally “flooded” Iowa with messages in the media, banners and posters where they show themselves as the best Republican alternative and attack each other.
The super political action committee Haley ally SFA Fund has increasingly paid for negative ads against DeSantis. For its part, Fight Right, a political committee that supports DeSantis, has at least three radio ads criticizing Haley.
Surveys
What is certain is that Haley has strengthened in the polls since August as her campaign continues. This has not happened with the governor DeSantis, who has fallen in the polls since last October.
Some research on electoral preferences shows the two candidates tied for second place against a distant Trump. However, Iowa, in the opinion of experts, could be the springboard that will give greater impetus to whoever wins the assemblies in that state.
