Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is calling out a group supporting Vice President Kamala Harris for use of the ex-UN ambassador’s name.
“Haley Voters for Harris,” a project paid for by the pro-Harris PivotPAC, purports to encourage “voters across the political spectrum, and Haley voters in particular, to vote for Kamala Harris in November,” according to the campaign site. It was previously known as “Haley Voters for Biden,” but switched after Biden announced he was stepping back from his reelection bid.
Haley, who has encouraged the delegates she won during the GOP primary to side with former President Trump, pushed back against the group in a statement.
"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 said. “I support Donald Trump because he understands we need to make America strong, safe, and prosperous.”
Lawyers for Nikki Haley for President, Inc., penned a letter, first reported by Fox News and shared with The Hill, demanding the group "cease and desist from any unlawful use of Ambassador Haley’s name in your political action committee name, and from any use of her name, image or likeness that implies her support for the election of Kamala Harris as President of the United States."
"Moreover, any use by you of Ambassador Haley’s name, image, or likeness is without her permission. Ambassador Haley has been clear in her support of Harris’ opponent. Any intimation that Ambassador Haley supports Harris is intentionally false and misleading," the letter alleged, pushing back against the name change.
“Haley Voters for Harris” argued in a release that “we will not be suppressed.” The group has just under 7,000 followers on X.
“We will review the letter with counsel once we receive it and provide further comment in the next few days,” the group said. “We enthusiastically supported Ambassador Haley over former President Trump in the primaries and our mission is to encourage like-minded voters to vote for Vice President Harris in November.”
The group had clarified in an earlier post that “we also do not and never claimed to speak for Nikki Haley. We are reaching out to a subset of Haley voters who will vote their consciences.”
Haley lodged a challenge against Trump in this cycle’s Republican primary and was a vocal critic before dropping out, but has offered her “strong endorsement” as the former president heads into a competitive fall contest.
Some Republicans continued to cast protest votes for Haley even after she suspended her campaign, prompting questions about where those supporters will go on Election Day.
Trump looked set to square off in a rematch against Biden, but the incumbent’s unprecedented move to exit the race and endorse Harris has thrown 2024 into uncharted waters.
