Nikki Haley surges into second place with 15 percent, ahead of Ron DeSantis, but Trump STILL dominates GOP race with 59 percent in new poll
- Haley was repeatedly attacked during Wednesday night’s debate.
- It’s up 7 points since September, according to a Wall Street Journal poll.
Nikki Haley received most of the barbs at Wednesday night’s presidential debate, and a new poll shows why: She jumped to second place in a new poll that still has her trailing far behind Donald Trump.
Haley, who was derided as “corrupt” by entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy even as fellow challenger Chris Christie defended her intelligence Wednesday night, trails the former president by more than 40 percentage points with the Iowa caucuses just weeks away. He also called Ramaswamy a “moron”.
The former South Carolina governor has 15 percent of the vote, according to the latest Wall Street Journal poll, well behind Trump, who leads with 59 percent and is expected to make another appearance at his fraud trial in New York on Thursday.
Trump skipped the NewsNation debate in Tuscaloosa, instead holding a fundraiser in Miami in the evening after appearing at a Fox News town hall with Sean Hannity, where he was asked about retaliation and critics who say he will become a dictator. “Except for the first day,” Trump replied.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has 15 percent in a new Wall Street Journal poll, well behind Donald Trump, who has 59 percent.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom Haley edged out as Trump’s second-ranked contender in the poll, is close on her heels with 14 percent.
Haley’s numbers were up 7 percentage points from September, when she was at 8 percent in the poll, with Trump holding steady and DeSantis up from 13, itself a sharp drop from where he was in the spring.
DeSantis, who criticized Trump for skipping the debate, also went after Haley on Wednesday night.
You’ve got a friend: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie defended Haley on the debate stage Wednesday night
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy held up a sign that read “corrupt.” Rivals hounded Haley in NewsNation debate, sign of her rise
“She gives up every time the left comes after her. She will give in to donors,” he said.
Hayley was confused and refused to respond to some of Ramaswamy’s most brutal attacks.
“I love the attention guys, thank you for that,” she joked.
No other candidate reached double digits in the vote, according to the Journal, which did not release detailed results.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to ridicule his rivals for participating in the “little league” competition, even after rivals told him he lacks the courage to remain a leader.