Former President Donald Trump is cruising in Iowa but running ads in New Hampshire to dampen independent support for Nikki Haley, his nearest rival in the Granite State.
The ads, which began running on MSNBC in recent days, hit Ms. Haley over her assertion that younger workers should prepare for a higher retirement age.
“Haley’s plan cuts Social Security benefits for 82% of Americans,” the narrator says in the ad. “Trump will never let that happen.”
A Trump adviser told Semafor that an array of Americans from all political backgrounds are worried about losing entitlements like Social Security and Medicare.
The decision to buy airtime on MSNBC is notable, given its liberal audience, and shows the extent to which the Trump team is reaching beyond its MAGA base on the issue.
The ads are an attempt to keep New Hampshire independents from backing Ms. Haley, the former South Carolina governor, in the state’s first-in-the-nation primary on Jan. 23.
Some polls show Ms. Haley trailing Mr. Trump by single digits, so New Hampshire could be a make-or-break moment for the GOP nominating race after Iowa caucus-goers get things started late Monday.
Entitlements for seniors are a touchy political subject. Many lawmakers acknowledge the programs are on shaky fiscal ground, but they are reluctant to scale back benefits or make them harder to attain.
Ms. Haley has said persons nearing retirement age shouldn’t be affected but workers in their 20s should prepare for changes.
Her campaign dismissed Mr. Trump’s attacks, saying it shows how worried he is about her rising campaign.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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