Biden courts Republicans who voted for Haley in new ad highlighting Trump insults

Washington DC - President Joe Biden released a TV spot Friday targeting voters of Nikki Haley as he seeks to woo the moderates who preferred her to Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.

President Joe Biden released a new campaign ad courting Republican voters who picked Nikki Haley over Donald Trump in the primaries.
President Joe Biden released a new campaign ad courting Republican voters who picked Nikki Haley over Donald Trump in the primaries.  © Collage: REUTERS

The ad shows Trump – the Republicans' 2024 standard-bearer – repeatedly mocking the former UN ambassador, who suspended her presidential campaign at the start of the month.

"She's gone crazy. She's a very angry person," Trump is heard saying during the 30-second commercial, punctuated with social media posts in which the Republican claims he "will not accept" her supporters and threatens to kick them out of his political movement.

Biden posted the video on social media alongside the caption: "Nikki Haley voters, Donald Trump doesn't want your vote. I want to be clear: There is a place for you in my campaign."

Trump shuts down Fox News offer for second Harris debate: "There is nothing to debate"
Donald Trump Trump shuts down Fox News offer for second Harris debate: "There is nothing to debate"

"As Trump loses ground, derides women, and threatens to ban abortion nationwide, Joe Biden is reaching across the aisle to Haley voters, inviting them to join his growing and winning coalition of voters who will decide this election," the president's campaign said.

Trump lags behind Biden in campaign funds

Trump easily won all Republican primaries held so far, but a substantial number of voters preferred Haley.
Trump easily won all Republican primaries held so far, but a substantial number of voters preferred Haley.  © REUTERS

Biden has built up a campaign war chest in excess of $70 million ahead of November's rematch with Trump, more than doubling his predecessor's fundraising haul and giving allies more latitude to spend big on TV advertising.

The president raised over $25 million on Thursday at a New York event with former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

Trump has had to divide his time between campaign stops and court appearances as he defends himself against 88 criminal charges.

Trump accused of blocking FBI's thorough review of Brett Kavanaugh in bombshell report
Donald Trump Trump accused of blocking FBI's thorough review of Brett Kavanaugh in bombshell report

He has also had to dedicate tens of millions of dollars in donations that could have boosted his campaign on legal fees.

But he benefits greatly from free coverage as he turns his many appearances at courthouses into campaign events.

The 77-year-old, who has been indicted four times, is expected to raise $33 million from a fundraiser on April 6 in Florida, according to the Financial Times.

Trump secured the Republican nomination at the beginning of March after defeating Haley by wide margins in all the early voting and Super Tuesday states, including her home turf of South Carolina.

But large swaths of Republican primary voters – upwards of 40 percent in some states – did not support Trump, raising fears that he will not be able to win the moderates he will need to take back the White House.

Cover photo: Collage: REUTERS

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