Bain, Solamere Private Equity Financiers Are Hosting Nikki Haley Fundraiser

Stephanie Lai
·3 min read
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(Bloomberg) -- Bain Capital senior advisor Paul Edgerley and Solamere Capital co-founder Spencer Zwick are among the donors hosting a fundraiser for Nikki Haley, according to a person familiar with the event, as the Republican presidential contender draws growing interest from Wall Street.

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Edgerley and Zwick will be joined by Bob Reynolds, the CEO of Putnam Investment Mangement LLC; Ozzie Palomo of Chartwell Strategy Group LLC; and former Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Jennifer Nassour to lead a fundraiser in Boston on Dec. 15, according to the person familiar who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the event.

Tickets will go for $6,600, the federal maximum a person can contribute to a presidential campaign for the primary and general election, the person said.

The fundraiser comes during a critical stretch for Haley’s campaign, which has gained in the polls ahead of the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 15, the first contest in the Republican nominating process. GOP frontrunner Donald Trump still leads the field by a wide margin in polls, but Haley has grown her support, buoyed by strong debate performances, and is solidifying her position as the former president’s top rival over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Haley has sought to capitalize on a surge of support from deep-pocketed donors, embarking on a blitz across the US to raise money. A fundraiser for Haley is also scheduled for Atlanta on Dec. 21.

Wall Street icons, including JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon and investor Bill Ackman have expressed support for Haley in recent weeks, as polls show voters dismayed by the prospect of a Trump rematch with President Joe Biden in the general election. LinkedIn Corp. co-founder Reid Hoffman, who historically has donated to Democrats, gave $250,000 to a Haley-affiliated super political action committee.

Earlier: Wall Street Icons Lament Biden, Trump as Top 2024 Choices (1)

Zwick, who is organizing the Boston event, recently joined Haley’s national finance team, according to Solamere Capital spokesperson Kevin Seifert. Zwick has deep ties to the Republican party, having served as a long-time adviser to former Speaker Paul Ryan and as national finance chairman of Mitt Romney’s presidential campaigns.

“Nikki Haley has the vision, the record, and the campaign apparatus to win both the primary and general election. I’m proud to support her efforts and help her build stronger relationships with donors and business leaders around the country,” Zwick said in a statement.

The growing interest in Haley within the financial industry made her the target of attacks during the fourth Republican presidential debate held Wednesday.

During the debate, Haley responded to an attack by saying DeSantis was “mad because those Wall Street donors used to support him and now they support me.”

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DeSantis entered the GOP race seen as the most viable challenger to Trump but has slid in the polls and seen his campaign wracked by internal turmoil. Both Haley and DeSantis are seeking to deliver strong performances in Iowa in hopes of extending the primary contest and convincing Republican voters opposed to Trump to coalesce behind another candidate.

--With assistance from Amanda Gordon.

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