Former Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley is not amused by a new political scheme that’s trying to ride her coattails—only this ride doesn’t lead to the White House but straight to Vice President Kamala Harris. Meet “Haley Voters for Harris,” the latest brainchild of the pro-Harris PivotPAC. The group’s master plan? To lure voters from all corners, especially those who once rallied behind Haley, into supporting Harris come November.
Here’s the twist: this group was originally called “Haley Voters for Biden,” a name that was only slightly less misleading than their current moniker. The name switcheroo happened after President Biden decided to bow out of the race and pass the baton to Harris. The group’s strategy? Grab as many former Haley supporters as possible and hope they won’t notice the bait-and-switch.
Naturally, Haley is having none of it. In a statement dripping with disdain, Haley made it crystal clear that there’s about as much common ground between her and Harris as between a porcupine and a balloon. “Kamala Harris and I are total opposites on every issue. Any attempt to use my name to support her or her agenda is deceptive and wrong,” Haley declared. And, lest anyone be in any doubt, she reiterated her full-throated endorsement of former President Donald Trump. “I support Donald Trump because he understands we need to make America strong, safe, and prosperous,” she added, because why stop at a subtle jab when you can go for the full-body slam?
Haley’s legal team fired off a cease-and-desist letter in a move that might be the legal equivalent of throwing down the gauntlet. First reported by Fox News and eagerly passed around by The Hill, the letter demands that the “Haley Voters for Harris” group stop using her name, image, or any semblance of her likeness to suggest that she supports Harris. The letter accuses the group of engaging in “unlawful use” and intentionally misleading the public about Haley’s political preferences. Haley’s lawyers are basically saying, “Nice try, but you can’t just slap Haley’s name on your Harris endorsement and expect it to work.”
The group, for its part, is doubling down. “We will not be suppressed,” they declared with all the rebellious flair of a teenager who’s been told they can’t have dessert before dinner. With just under 7,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), they’re clearly seeing themselves as the little guy going up against Haley’s giant. They promised to review the cease-and-desist letter with their legal team and to provide further comments soon.
They also clarified that while they supported Haley in the primaries, they aren’t claiming to speak for her directly. Instead, they’re targeting “like-minded voters,” which apparently means anyone who once liked Haley but now finds themselves strangely attracted to Harris.
For those keeping score, Haley’s attempt to rally support behind Trump is part of her broader strategy to consolidate GOP backing after her campaign fizzled out. Despite her fierce critiques of Trump during the primaries, she’s now fully on Team Trump, which is expected to face off against Harris in what’s shaping up to be a high-stakes match.
The political landscape is anything but predictable with Biden’s abrupt exit and Harris’s rise to prominence. Haley’s supporters, who clung to her campaign even after she stepped aside, are now left to navigate this new terrain. Whether they’ll flock to Trump or Harris or take their chances with a write-in candidate remains to be seen. What’s clear is that in this election cycle, the twists and turns are so frequent that keeping up might just require a map—and a strong stomach for political shenanigans.
