FIRST ON FOX: Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley's campaign spent thousands on luxury hotels last year despite her team's claim it runs "a tight ship" and stays in "affordable" lodging.
According to Haley's third-quarter disbursements filing with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), her campaign spent over $11,000 on high-end, four- and five-star hotels.
That included stays at The Breakers, a luxurious hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, and the Wave Resort in Long Branch, New Jersey.
Other hotel expenditures listed in the report include stays at a high-end Fairmont Hotel in Texas, an Omni Hotel, a J.W. Marriott and multiple stays at the upscale Hotel Fort Des Moines in Iowa.
The numerous hotel bills contrast with the frugality touted by Haley's campaign and her comments during the most recent primary debate between her and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, when she blasted him for what she described as blowing through millions of dollars on his campaign.
"He spent more on private planes than commercial. I flew commercial. I stayed in Residence Inns. We went and saved our money," Haley said. "We made sure we spent it right because you have to understand it's not your money. It's other people's money. And you have to know how to handle it."
Haley's campaign made similar claims in multiple fundraising emails sent last July, including one that said it was "being smart with every dollar."
"We run a tight ship at Team Haley. Supporters like you contribute your hard-earned money to elect Nikki, and we make sure to spend that money wisely," the email said.
"Nikki’s an accountant, not a lawyer. When Nikki and the team travel to New Hampshire and Iowa, they’re flying on a lot of Spirit and JetBlue flights. When they stay in hotels, they’re not staying in luxury suites, they’re staying at a lot of Residence Inns," it added.
Another email stated that the campaign's road team wasn't "out there renting private planes like some campaigns. You’re flying a lot of Spirit and JetBlue."
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"We’re getting you out to New Hampshire, Iowa, and wherever else you need to go with the most affordable option we can find. And when you all land, you’re driving the rest of the staff around in a rental car. You’re not staying in luxury suites. You’re staying at affordable hotels," it said.
"Our team is lean and mean. We track every penny coming in and out of our campaign because that was the expectation set on day one."
In addition to the high-end hotels, Haley's FEC report also included stays at lower-rated hotels, such as Residence Inn and Hampton Inn, but those stays were not included in the total amount spent on those classified as luxury.
"As an accountant, Nikki Haley understands the importance of sticking to a budget," Haley's campaign told Fox News Digital. "That’s what our campaign did, making smart decisions about staff size, TV spending and travel. The proof is in the pudding: This is now a two-person race with Nikki rising, Trump dropping and DeSantis fading fast after lighting $150 million on fire."
