Quick Hit

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has accused Nikki Haley of attempting to appeal to "very liberal Democrats" in her bid for the GOP nomination. DeSantis, who recently suspended his campaign, made these remarks during an appearance on "One Nation with Brian Kilmeade".

Key Details

• DeSantis claimed that Haley's strategy was to appeal to "stock Republicans" and "very liberal Democrats", a tactic he believes will not work in a Republican primary.
• Haley, who came third in the Iowa caucus, continues to face calls to suspend her campaign and rally around former President Donald Trump.
• Despite these calls, Haley insists her path to the nomination isn't blocked and has previously dismissed claims that she holds moderate views.

Diving Deeper

During his appearance on "One Nation with Brian Kilmeade", DeSantis shared his observations from the Iowa caucus sites. He noted that there were 7,000 Democrats who switched to Republican on the night of the caucus. These voters, according to DeSantis, were "very liberal Democrats" who wore N-95 masks and shirts with liberal slogans. He believes that Haley's strategy was to appeal to these voters, a move he deems ineffective in a Republican primary, especially against a well-known figure like Donald Trump.

DeSantis, who suspended his campaign after coming in second behind Trump in Iowa, is adamant that Haley's influence does not extend to the current Republican Party's majority of "conservative populist voters". Instead, he suggests that she connects with a minor faction more closely aligned with the Republican establishment. "She's really playing to the 20% who were more of McCain, Romney, Republicans," he told Kilmeade. "And look, we need a big tent. We need everyone in, but once you go in that direction, you really poisoned the well with the vast majority of Republican primary voters."

Despite facing a number of primary losses and calls to suspend her campaign, Haley remains steadfast in her pursuit of the GOP nomination. She has previously addressed allegations that voters outside the conservative bloc are sustaining her campaign and dismissed claims that she holds moderate views. "I am a hardcore conservative. I always have been," she told NBC News last month. "I've been a fiscal conservative… I ran a socially conservative state [South Carolina], at the UN, we cut a billion dollars off the budget, so they can say whatever they want."

As the race for the GOP nomination continues, Haley and former President Trump are set to face off in the highly-anticipated South Carolina primary this week. Palmetto State voters, who appear to overwhelmingly support the former president, will cast their ballots in what promises to be a pivotal moment in the nomination process.