Who is billionaire Charles Koch and why is his endorsement of Nikki Haley so important?
The political network backed by billionaire Charles Koch has endorsed former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley for president, boosting her campaign.
The influential political network backed by billionaire Charles Koch has endorsed former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley for the Republican presidential nomination, boosting her campaign against clear frontrunner Donald Trump.
Haley has overtaken Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who used to be considered the biggest threat to the former president, after her confident performance in debates and her success in raising funds for her presidential bid.
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Super political action committee: Haley is a ‘candidate who can win’
In a memo, Americans for Prosperity Action, the political arm of the Koch network, said, “The American people are ready to move on, with nearly 75% of Republican primary voters saying they are open to supporting a candidate other than Donald Trump.”
“We would support a candidate capable of turning the page on Washington’s toxic culture- and a candidate who can win,” the organization added.
“That candidate is Nikki Haley.”
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Who is billionaire Charles Koch and why is his endorsement of Nikki Haley so important?
Charles Koch is the chairman and CEO of Koch Industries, one of the largest conglomerates in the United States. Koch Industries is involved in diverse industries, including oil refining, chemicals, energy, finance, and more.
Under Koch’s leadership, the company has grown significantly to become one of the largest privately-owned companies in the world.
Koch is the 22nd richest man in the world according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with a net worth of $60 billion.
Backed by such vast resources that the Americans for Prosperity Action said it is ready to utilize, the former UN ambassador is in a much better position to challenge Trump’s dominance in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
The endorsement also does not bode well for DeSantis’ bid for the GOP vote. AFP Action had endorsed him during his successful re-election campaign for governor just last year.