Billionaire GOP donor backs Haley, says Trump should ‘go home’

Billionaire and Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone endorsed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s presidential bid, saying former President Trump’s time had “come and gone.”

“I think she is just what we need right now. I think her approach is smart. I think she’s qualified,” Mr. Langone said Friday on Fox News. “More importantly, I think the American people need this kind of leadership – statesmanlike, elegant.

He continued, “When you think of where we have been in the last six or seven or eight years … it is not good at all.”

The endorsement from Mr. Langone,  considered a GOP megadonor, comes on the heels of another deep-pocketed backer supporting Mrs. Haley’s bid for the Republican nomination.

The Charles Koch-affiliated super political action committee Americans for Prosperity announced its endorsement of Mrs. Haley last month and has donated $4 million to her campaign.

“Nikki Haley has a positive vision for America that can unite our nation and restore the American Dream,” the super PAC said. “Joe Biden is a disaster and the American People are hurting because of his failed policies. Donald Trump and Joe Biden had their chance — they can’t fix what is broken.”

Mrs. Haley’s campaign also got a boost from Democratic donor and billionaire Reid Hoffman, who donated $250,000 to her war chest this week.

Mr. Langone, a one-time supporter of Mr. Trump, soured on him following the Jan. 6, 2021, protest at the U.S. Capitol. He said the former president’s time had “come and gone” and took issue with his last few months in the Oval Office.

“What Trump put this country through for the last three months of his presidency was disgraceful. I’m sorry. And I think, frankly, that to me ruined his chances to succeed himself at some point,” Mr. Langone said. “I think what happened on January 6th, all I had to say was ‘please go home. You made known your feelings. Now go home.’”

Mr. Langone opted to not support Ron DeSantis’ campaign despite liking him as a candidate, choosing to back Mrs. Haley because the Florida governor’s “numbers aren’t moving.”

National polling aggregate FiveThirtyEight’s GOP presidential candidate data showed that Mr. DeSantis’ stock has continued to slide in recent months while Mrs. Haley’s polling numbers continue to improve. The two are nearly tied for second place behind Mr. Trump, who has maintained an iron grip on first place.

“The writing is on the wall,” Mr. Langone said. “On the other hand, Nikki Haley has had a substantial upswing. The one thing I’m committed to is we have to beat Joe Biden. If Joe Biden is going to be the nominee, we have to beat him. We can’t take any more of this mayhem.”