Nikki Haley says New Hampshire voters can ‘correct’ Iowa voters. ‘Insulting Iowans’
Nikki Haley told New Hampshire voters they “correct” the Iowa caucus results, prompting criticism from her opponents.
“We have an opportunity to get this right,” Haley said at a Jan. 3 campaign event in New Hampshire, according to The Citizen. “And I trust every single one of you. You know how to do this.”
“You know, Iowa starts it. You know that you correct it,” Haley said. “And then my sweet state of South Carolina brings it home.”
Haley, the former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina governor, has gained momentum in the Granite State, surpassing Ron DeSantis for second place behind former President Donald Trump, according to FiveThirtyEight.
Her “movement continues to grow by the day,” New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who endorsed Haley, wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In response to Haley’s comments, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds wrote in a post on X, “I trust Iowans to make their own decisions. No ‘corrections’ needed!”
Reynolds endorsed Ron DeSantis, who is currently polling in second place in Iowa behind Trump, according to FiveThirtyEight.
Haley’s “closing argument is insulting Iowans by saying their votes will need to be corrected,” Andrew Romeo, a DeSantis campaign spokesperson, wrote in a post on X.
“Meanwhile, Ron DeSantis is closing strong in Iowa by outworking and outorganizing the competition day in and day out,” Romeo added.
DeSantis has bet big on Iowa, traveling to all of the state’s 99 counties, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Haley’s comments come just days before the Iowa caucuses, which take place on Jan. 15, followed by the New Hampshire primary, scheduled for Jan. 23.
Historically, New Hampshire residents have been more likely to vote for the eventual Republican nominee than Iowans, according to NPR.
Since 1976, five GOP nominees have won the New Hampshire primary, while three have won the Iowa caucuses, according to the outlet.
This story was originally published January 4, 2024 at 8:38 AM with the headline "Nikki Haley says New Hampshire voters can ‘correct’ Iowa voters. ‘Insulting Iowans’."