'Big mistake': GOP strategist says Trump's 'personal grudge' costing him crucial votes
A Republican strategist highlighted a "big mistake" that Donald Trump is making with women and moderate Republicans in the closing stretch of the campaign.
Nikki Haley appeared Tuesday evening on Fox News, where she gently criticized the former president's messaging in what appears to be a tightly contested race against Vice President Kamala Harris.
“This is not a time to have anyone criticize Puerto Rico or Latinos,” Haley told Fox News anchor Bret Baier. “This is not a time for them to get overly masculine with this bromance thing that they have.”
The Republican nominee's campaign is focused on turning out low-propensity voters, especially younger men, but GOP strategist Doug Heye told CNN's Kate Bolduan he was potentially leaving votes on the table by shunning Haley, who had been his last remaining primary challenger.
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"She's been a regular presence on the airwaves, but not on the campaign trail," Heye said. "I think it's a big mistake for the Trump campaign, and I say that because I was at Nikki Haley's third-to-last rally when she was running. It was in Raleigh, North Carolina. They moved the venue to a larger venues twice because that's how many people were interested in her campaign."
Bolduan agreed, saying both candidates were fighting for Haley's moderate Republican supporters, but Heye said the former president couldn't overlook her challenge to his nomination.
"I think with Donald Trump personal grudges always lean in heavy with what he wants to do and how he operates," Heye said. "Clearly, that's a part of this now, but it does not make good political sense."
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