Haley Has the Momentum — To Finish Second
Author: Greg Valliere
November 29, 2023
BUT THE SUSPENSE is simply to see who will finish second to Donald Trump, who’s far ahead in Iowa, leads in New Hampshire and has overwhelming support from Republican voters in virtually every other state. Nothing — not more criminal charges, not verbal gaffes, nothing — seems sufficient to take down Trump even though Haley now has some momentum.
SOMEONE — EITHER HALEY OR RON DeSANTIS — may eventually consolidate the anti-Trump vote in the GOP, but the former president leads the pack by at least 50 points in most GOP state primaries. Even a mild slump by Trump, to be expected, would leave him with a lead of landslide proportions in most states.
SO WHY IS NIKKI HALEY CAMPAIGNING SO HARD for second place? We were at a great event last night with investment pros who asked — what does she have to gain? Our response: she gets name recognition for a 2028 run, a lucrative job as a TV commentator, a possible vice presidential nomination — and of course there’s always the issue of Trump’s health. He’s 77 and Joe Biden may be in better shape.
SO HALEY IS THRILLED TO ALLY with Koch’s powerful campaign network and get access to more sources of financing. She needs all the help she can get, after DeSantis won the endorsement of Iowa’s Republican governor earlier this month; the state’s leading Christian evangelist also has endorsed the Florida governor. Polls show a dead heat between DeSantis and Haley for a second place finish in Iowa.
IT’S EASY TO LIKE HALEY: We’ve seen her several times at conferences and have always found her to be quick, funny, charming, bright and sensible, especially on foreign policy. She pushes a lot of positive buttons, unlike the dour and stiff DeSantis, who has been a good governor but seems to lack sizzle on the national stage. Let’s see how he performs on Thursday night in a highly-promoted Fox TV debate with California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
THE VOTING BEGINS IN LESS THAN TWO MONTHS, and it’s possible that some Republicans could be persuaded to change their allegiances. That’s what the media is hoping for — a horse race, with Nikki Haley closing fast. Trump has alienated a large percentage of Republicans in Washington, but not enough to deny him the nomination.
The views expressed in this blog are provided as a general source of information based on information available as of the date of publication and should not be considered as personal investment advice or an offer or solicitation to buy and/or sell securities. Speculation or stated believes about future events, such as market or economic conditions, company or security performance, or other projections represent the beliefs of the author and do not necessarily represent the view of AGF, its subsidiaries or any of its affiliated companies, funds or investment strategies. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in these commentaries at the time of publication; however, accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Market conditions may change and AGF accepts no responsibility for individual investment decisions arising from the use of or reliance on the information contained herein. Any financial projections are based on the opinions of the author and should not be considered as a forecast. The forward looking statements and opinions may be affected by changing economic circumstances and are subject to a number of uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward looking statements. The information contained in this commentary is designed to provide you with general information related to the political and economic environment in the United States. It is not intended to be comprehensive investment advice applicable to the circumstances of the individual.
AGF Investments is a group of wholly owned subsidiaries of AGF Management Limited, a Canadian reporting issuer. The subsidiaries included in AGF Investments are AGF Investments Inc. (AGFI), AGF Investments America Inc. (AGFA), AGF Investments LLC (AGFUS) and AGF International Advisors Company Limited (AGFIA). AGFA and AGFUS are registered advisors in the U.S. AGFI is a registered as a portfolio manager across Canadian securities commissions. AGFIA is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and registered with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission. The subsidiaries that form AGF Investments manage a variety of mandates comprised of equity, fixed income and balanced assets.
About AGF Management Limited
Founded in 1957, AGF Management Limited (AGF) is an independent and globally diverse asset management firm. Our companies deliver excellence in investing in the public and private markets through three business lines: AGF Investments, AGF Capital Partners and AGF Private Wealth.
AGF brings a disciplined approach, focused on incorporating sound, responsible and sustainable corporate practices. The firm’s collective investment expertise, driven by its fundamental, quantitative and private investing capabilities, extends globally to a wide range of clients, from financial advisors and their clients to high-net worth and institutional investors including pension plans, corporate plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations.
Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, AGF has investment operations and client servicing teams on the ground in North America and Europe. AGF serves more than 800,000 investors. AGF trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AGF.B.
For further information, please visit AGF.com.
©2025 AGF Management Limited. All rights reserved.
