This combination of images shows former US president Donald Trump (left) and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley. — AFP/File
Donald Trump is using racist dog whistles to target former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley in New Hampshire’s Republican primary, as he ramps up his campaign schedule and hammers his rival on the airwaves, CNN reported.
Trump’s campaign has been threatening Haley in New Hampshire, through attacks on social media and at a rally. The 77-year-old former president referred to Haley’s first name, Nimarata, in a post on Truth Social, misspelling it as Nimrada.
Haley, born Nimarata Nikki Randhawa, is the daughter of Indian immigrants and took her husband’s last name after marriage.
Additionally, Trump has recently amplified a post claiming Haley was ineligible to run for president because her parents were not United States citizens at the time of her birth. Haley was born in Bamberg, South Carolina, and is a US citizen.
Trump attacked Haley again on Wednesday posting an altered photo of former secretary of State Hillary Clinton with Haley’s face superimposed on it.
The post includes Clinton’s 2016 campaign logo — a blue “H” and red arrow — but spells out “Haley” instead of “Hillary.”
The 77-year-old Republican’s recent attacks on Haley, a departure from his victory speech in Iowa, reflect his campaign’s efforts to target her in New Hampshire, where he praised her and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as “very smart, very capable people.”
Since 2023, Haley and her allies have spent $28.6 million on advertising in New Hampshire, while Trump and his allies have spent $14.4 million.
However, the gap between the two has narrowed to $9 million, with Haley and her allies spending about $8.5 million. Trump’s ads have targeted Haley on immigration, a top issue for Republicans in New Hampshire.
Trump’s victory in the New Hampshire primary, eight days after his Iowa caucuses win, would accelerate his third consecutive GOP presidential nomination.
According to a recent CNN poll, Haley trimmed Trump’s lead down to single digits, winning 55% of self-identified moderate voters of the New Hampshire Republican primary, while Trump secured 60% of those who identified as conservative.
Trump’s increased spending in New Hampshire and social media attacks on Haley indicate that she seems to be a threat to his campaign, which has added numerous events to its schedule ahead of the January 23 primary, holding them nearly every day until voting begins.
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