A top conservative group backing Nikki Haley in the Republican presidential primary reiterated its support for her in a closed-door briefing for major donors Saturday, while acknowledging it will be difficult to stop Donald Trump from clinching the nomination.
At a retreat in California, two top advisers with Americans for Prosperity’s political spending group, AFP Action, told donors the Koch-aligned organization will continue with its current ad buys for Haley in South Carolina, according to an AFP Action official with knowledge of the meeting.
But the advisers, Emily Seidel and Michael Palmer, also acknowledged the difficult path forward for Haley. They assured donors skeptical of Trump’s ability to win a general election that Haley winning the presidential primary isn’t the only way to stop Democratic rule in Washington — reminding backers that taking back control of the Senate remains the organization’s top priority this cycle.
Seidel and Palmer said the group will analyze data in South Carolina and other early nominating states on an ongoing basis and allocate resources in the races where they can have the greatest impact, according to the senior official, who was granted anonymity to speak freely.