Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley called attention to former President Donald Trump for running a negative ad against her, saying he’s “getting nervous” over her rising poll numbers.
“Two days ago, Donald Trump denied our surge in New Hampshire existed. Now, he’s running a negative ad against me. Someone’s getting nervous. #BringIt,” she posted on X Monday.
In an ad released Tuesday, Trump’s Make America Great Again political action committee calls out the former South Carolina governor for flipping on the gas tax, showing a clip of her saying, “Let’s increase the gas tax by 10 cents.” PolitiFact called the MAGA claim “mostly false,” pointing out that she proposed coupling an increase in the gas tax with a cut to the income tax, but her plan didn’t pass.
The Trump team stayed on the attack Monday. “MAGA Inc. remains committed to exposing the career politicians who are undeserving of the Republican nomination,” Karoline Leavitt, a Trump spokeswoman, said in a statement to NBC News. “Nikki Haley has lied to increase taxes, she has lied to get in the race and she will try to lie to win it. We won’t let another tax-and-spend politician try to fool the voters.”
The ad is running in New Hampshire, where Ms. Haley’s numbers are up. A poll from Decision Desk HQ and the Hill shows the former president leading with 46% support of voters, Ms. Haley in second with 20% and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in third with 13%.
This ad buy comes ahead of the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses and Jan. 23 New Hampshire primary.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.