Wall Street Donors Plan Haley Fundraiser After New Hampshire

(Bloomberg) -- Wall Street billionaires Stanley Druckenmiller, Henry Kravis, Ken Langone and Cliff Asness are co-hosting a fundraiser for Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign on Jan. 30 in New York City, according to an invitation seen by Bloomberg News.

Most Read from Bloomberg

• Florida Governor DeSantis Drops Out of 2024 Race, Endorses Trump

• Hong Kong Stocks at 36% Discount Show True Depth of China Gloom

• Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Say Buy the Dip After Treasury Rout

• Never Trumpers Brace for New Hampshire Shutout

• Gloom Over China Assets Is Spreading Beyond Battered Stocks

The event is part of a fundraising swing scheduled for Haley between the primaries in New Hampshire next Tuesday and in her home state of South Carolina on Feb. 24, according to a donor who shared details of the private event on condition of anonymity. Haley plans to visit Miami and Palm Beach, Florida, after the New York fundraiser, then meet wealthy donors in California and Texas in the first two weeks of February, the donor said.

Druckenmiller had previously supported Senator Tim Scott, another South Carolinian who had suspended his presidential bid in November and announced his endorsement of GOP frontrunner Donald Trump on Friday. Haley, who has won the support of many wealthy financiers, has faced increasing pressure to deliver a strong performance in New Hampshire.

Tickets to the New York City event are going for as high as $33,200 and start at $3,300. Glenn Hubbard and Republican Senator Pat Toomey are also listed among the co-hosts.

Puck earlier reported the planned fundraisers.

Haley’s stand-out performances in the Republican presidential debates helped attract major donors who previously backed Scott, including lawyer Eric Levine, who’s also co-host of the New York fundraiser. She has also won the endorsement of Americans for Prosperity, a group with close ties to billionaire donor Charles Koch.

Her campaign reported its largest fundraising haul yet in the fourth quarter, adding $24 million to its war chest. Haley’s operation has also begun spending at higher rates in recent weeks, booking millions of dollars in advertisements.

Earlier: Haley Plans $4 Million Ad Buy to Boost South Carolina Bid (2)

Backing from prominent Wall Street figures has given her campaign the resources it’s needed to stay in the 2024 race. Yet that support has also exposed Haley to attacks from her rivals for the GOP nomination, Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who accuse her of being beholden to donor interests.

Haley is counting on a strong performance in New Hampshire next week to sustain her campaign through the Super Tuesday primaries on March 5. Her campaign has touted polls that show her within striking distance of Trump in the Granite State, though other surveys have her trailing the former president by double digits.

A disappointing finish in New Hampshire would risk damping enthusiasm among donors for continuing their support for Haley and help clear the way for Trump to lock up the nomination.

In an interview with Bloomberg Television Sunday, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu said that Haley doesn’t have to win Tuesday to sustain her campaign, she just needs a stronger performance than her Iowa finish.

“Just showing a stronger performance than was in Iowa, that’s the most important piece right now and having less candidates in the race and defining it as a one-on-one race,” Sununu said.

(Updates to reference Puck reporting in 5th paragraph, Sununu interview in 14th paragraph)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

• The Downfall of Diddy Inc.

• How Sweden Quit Smoking Without Quitting Nicotine

• The Bitcoin Hype Is Back and About Just as Hollow as Before

• Japan’s Market Roars Back to Life—With Old-Timers Leading the Way

©2024 Bloomberg L.P.