Nikki Haley fires back at DeSantis over Disney case

Nikki Haley jumped right into the Ron DeSantis/Disney feud. The presidential candidate used Twitter to throw a dart at the Florida governor and even used one of Donald Trump’s favorite nicknames for DeSantis: sanctimonious. She also invited Disney to move to South Carolina, a state she governed between 2011 and 2017.

Haley announced her presidential campaign in February 2023 and called for “new leadership” for the GOP. Already two months into the campaign, she fired for the first time against another candidate, in this instance, one who has not yet entered the race.

DeSantis came into conflict with Disney when he took away their ability to self-govern, first acquired in 1967. “Now, this is obviously now going to be controlled by the state of Florida, which is no longer self-governing for them.” At the same time, he went so far as to issue a warning: “So there’s a new sheriff in town, and that’s just the way it’s gonna be.” The company counterattacked and is now suing the state for acting in an “anti-business” manner.

Within this context, Haley invited the company to move. “Hey Disney, my home state will happily accept your 70,000+ jobs if you want to leave Florida,” began the message that quickly garnered attention on social media. “We’ve got great weather, great people, and it’s always a great day in South Carolina! S.C.’s not woke, but we’re not sanctimonious about it either”, she added in the tweet.

Nikki Haley’s platform

Her candidacy comes with a website where supporters can donate, listen to Trump praising Haley, and see her record as governor. Under the slogan “record of results,” the campaign listed the main achievements of the candidate in her political career.

In that section, other policy positions of the candidate are showcased, such as her advocacy for voter ID, school choice and the Second Amendment. In addition, it is made clear that she was “one of the most pro-life governors in America,” as she “cracked down on illegal immigration and stood up to Barack Obama and D.C. liberals when they stood in her way.”

The website also shows her background in the Trump administration, where she served as ambassador to the United Nations. Between defending Israel, denouncing the ongoing dictatorship in Venezuela and standing firm against Russia, she highlighted her efforts to withdraw from the Nuclear Agreement with Iran and change the government’s worldview on China.