SC’s Haley sees boost in fundraising, interest in campaign after GOP debate performance
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign is seeing increased interest after her widely lauded debate performance.
Her presidential campaign says it received more online donations in the first 24 hours after the debate than in any other single day of her campaign, which kicked off in February.
The campaign, however, did not release specific financial figures.
Haley’s campaign said traffic to the campaign website has increased tenfold, viewership on the campaign’s YouTube and other social media surged, and the former ambassador to the United Nations was the second-most Googled candidate following the debate.
Going into the first Republican primary debate polling in the single digits nationally, Haley came out taking shots at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott — and at frontrunner Donald Trump himself.
After the debate, commentators on Fox News said Haley did well.
“I think Nikki is going to get a second look from some people,” said Kellyanne Conway, a commentator and former Trump White House staffer.
A Washington Post poll after the debate found 29% of debate watchers believe DeSantis performed the best; 26% said Ramaswamy performed the best; and 15% said Haley.
Haley also saw the percentage of people who would consider voting for her increase to 46% after the debate, up from 29% pre-debate, the greatest improvement out of anyone in the field, according to the Washington Post poll.
Her favorable rating increased as well to 65%, up from 51% pre-debate.
