DeSantis claimed that pulling in Democrats was a 'core part' of Haley's strategy
Ron DeSantis: Nikki Haley is playing to the McCain, Romney Republicans
Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., joins 'One Nation' to discuss his efforts to crackdown on crime in Florida and 2024 presidential candidate Nikki Haley's bid for the GOP nomination.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis alleged Nikki Haley is currying favor with "very liberal Democrats" amid her ongoing bid for the GOP nomination.
The former Trump contender joined "One Nation with Brian Kilmeade" on Saturday where he claimed to have spotted interesting voters at some Iowa caucus sites last month.
"The thing was, is there were 7,000 Democrats who showed up and switched to Republican on the night of the caucus. I was at a couple of these caucus sites. These were very liberal Democrats. They had N-95 masks on. They had shirts that had liberal slogans on, and that was a core part of her strategy was to appeal to those people," he said.
TRUMP ‘VERY HONORED’ BY DESANTIS ENDORSEMENT AFTER FLORIDA GOVERNOR SUSPENDS PRESIDENTIAL RUN
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis alleged Nikki Haley pulled in ‘very liberal Democrats’ during the Iowa caucuses. ((Photo by SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images))
"Her strategy has been to appeal to people who are kind of stock Republicans, but that's just not going to work in a Republican primary. It's definitely not going to work against somebody who's as well-known and has already been president, like Donald Trump."
DeSantis suspended his campaign days after coming in second behind Trump in the Hawkeye State, while Haley came in third.
After being dealt a number of primary losses, Haley continues to face calls to suspend her campaign and rally around Trump. She insists, however, her path to the nomination isn't blocked just yet.
Republican presidential candidate former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks at a town hall campaign event, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
DeSantis, however, is adamant that Haley's influence does not extend to the current Republican Party's majority of "conservative populist voters" and, rather, connects with a minor faction more closely aligned with the Republican establishment.
"She's really playing to the 20% who were more of McCain, Romney, Republicans," he told Kilmeade.
"And look, we need a big tent. We need everyone in, but once you go in that direction, you really poisoned the well with the vast majority of Republican primary voters."
HALEY BLAMES TRUMP FOR GOP LOSS IN KEY SPECIAL ELECTION AS SOUTH CAROLINA SHOWDOWN INTENSIFIES
Haley previously addressed allegations that voters outside the conservative bloc are sustaining her campaign and shirked off claims she holds moderate views.
"I am a hardcore conservative. I always have been," she told NBC News last month. "I've been a fiscal conservative… I ran a socially conservative state [South Carolina], at the UN, we cut a billion dollars off the budget, so they can say whatever they want."
She and former President Trump will head to South Carolina to face off in the highly-anticipated primary this week, where Palmetto State voters, who appear to overwhelmingly support the former president, will cast their ballots.
Taylor Penley is an associate editor with Fox News.
