A super PAC backing former UN ambassador Nikki Haley entered the election year in January with just $3.5 million in cash. Federal Election Commission notes. The relatively small amount raises new questions about whether Haley will be able to fund a credible presidential campaign in the coming months.
SFA Fund Inc. reported on Wednesday for the period from July 1 to December 31, 2023. committee It raised just over $50 million, but spent about $63 million supporting Haley. The super PAC entered the reporting period in July with about $17 million, but ended with a paltry $3.5 million war chest after spending heavily on ads.
Figures from the SFA Foundation come as some Haley’s The wealthiest donors are wondering whether the former South Carolina governor will continue to help GOP front-runner former President Donald Trump, especially after heavy losses in Iowa and New Hampshire.
The next primary is on February 24 in Haley’s home state.
A leading pro-Trump super PAC, MAGA Inc. also filed its six-month disclosure report on Wednesday, revealing that it entered January with just over $23 million in cash.
In addition to raising concerns about Haley’s ability to compete in the upcoming primaries, SFA’s $3.5 million in cash is in line with how the PAC has been able to fund $14 million in ads supporting Haley since Jan. 1, according to the tracking firm. raises related questions. Impact.
A spokesperson for the SFA Foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The lion’s share of the $14 million has been spent in Iowa and New Hampshire, with only $200,000 spent so far on television programming in South Carolina.
Wednesday’s filing revealed that the super PAC’s fundraising success last fall came on the backs of big-money donors.
Citadel CEO Ken Griffin gave $5 million to the super PAC in December, according to FEC filings. Griffin This week, her spokesperson made headlines when she told media outlets including CNBC that she donated $5 million to a pro-Haley super PAC in January.
It was unclear whether the $5 million Griffin announced in late January was the same as the $5 million Haley super PAC gave in December.
A spokesman for Griffin did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone gave just over $500,000, and veteran investor and Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper gave $1 million. In total, nine donors gave at least $1 million to SFA Fund Inc. in the last six months of 2023.
Oil magnate Harold Hamm continued around $100,000.