TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The presidential campaign of Gov. Ron DeSantis was just dealt a major blow.
Americans for Prosperity Action has endorsed former ambassador Nikki Haley, saying, "AFP Action is proud to throw our full support behind Nikki Haley, who offers America the opportunity to turn the page on the current political era."
The political network is financed largely by billionaire Charles Koch.
"I'm disappointed that an organization that used to oppose corporate welfare & reckless government spending is now endorsing the corporate welfare candidate + de facto supporting the candidate who added $7.8 trillion in debt," DeSantis campaign rapid response director Christina Pushaw wrote on "X".
"No amount of shady money from George Soros, Democrats and Never-Trump RINOs in partnership with endless-war swamp creatures in Washington will stop the MAGA movement or President Trump from being the Republican nominee and defeating Crooked Joe Biden," a Trump campaign representative added.
St. Petersburg College Political Analyst Tara Newsom says it signals a major shift for the Republican party.
"I think you've really got to focus, not just on DeSantis, but on the Republican Party as a whole. It's really rejecting the Trump and DeSantis ultra-conservative, doomsday messaging and so I think DeSantis' campaign took a real hit, and so, even though he's visited all 99 counties in Iowa, that might just not be enough for this Koch network endorsement of Nikki Haley," Newsom said.
Newsom said this puts Haley in a good position to continue her campaign after the first primaries.
"I think you've got to look at the whole trajectory of Nikki Haley. Listen, she's really at play and has momentum, both in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina and so this new endorsement allows her to really put good financing behind those campaigns as well as boots on the ground," said Newsom who also believes it's not likely the DeSantis campaign will survive after the Iowa caucuses.
"It's not likely, but it's not just the endorsement of the Koch network, it's also signaling to other Republicans that this is where the money and the donors are going to put their support," said Newsom.