'It’s really a DeSantis-Haley thing'
Previewing the inevitable center-stage clash coming to Wednesday's GOP debate.
The third Republican presidential primary debate in Miami is shaping up to be a potentially pivotal moment for Nikki Haley as she attempts to leapfrog Ron DeSantis in the race to become the most formidable challenger to Donald Trump.
The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and current Florida governor are on a collision course that will be amplified before a national audience on Wednesday night when they appear alongside each other without the GOP front-runner. Even the campaign of South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott predicted Haley and DeSantis “will devolve into a slugfest.”
It’s a stage tailor made for a confrontation that’s been festering for weeks and was accentuated by a recent poll showing the two deadlocked in second place in Iowa, a marker of Haley’s ascent this fall following two strong debates.
Republicans — from national operatives to Iowans — believe another ace debate performance from Haley could provide additional jetfuel to her momentum in the first-in-the-nation caucus state that is set to kick off the voting process in just over two months.
