Tensions Build: DeSantis, Haley Spokespeople Get in Social Media Brawl

Republican presidential candidate former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley listens to Republican
AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall
Hannah Knudsen

Tensions are running high in the Republican primary race, as the Iowa caucuses are less than two weeks away. And while the presidential hopefuls continue on their respective campaign trials, things are getting ugly on social media.

The feud between Carly Atchison, national spokeswoman for Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Pat Garrett, communications for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, began after a reporter noted that a DeSantis event in Cumming, Iowa, is “at capacity.”

However, according to the reporter, hosts of the event told attendees they could listen from the outdoors, but it was below freezing outside.

“Cumming, IA has a total population of 460,” Atchison said in a tweet, prompting a response from Garrett, who pointed out that Cumming is not far from other major areas of the state, providing a map.

“Try to be a more serious person!” he exclaimed:

“Does a serious person think Iowans’ choice in the caucus will need to be ‘corrected’ by other states, as your boss said (and got booed for last night)?” Atchison shot back.

Indeed, Haley recently told a group of New Hampshire voters that she trusts them to “correct” the results of the upcoming Iowa caucus.

“We have an opportunity to get this right. And I know we’ll get it right, and I trust you. I trust every single one of you. You know how to do this. You know Iowa starts it. You know that you correct it,” Haley stated, as the proxy battle continued on social media.

“If you knew Iowa, you’d know this event was less than 20 minutes from the Des Moines Airport & an Apple Store,” Garrett responded, as each of the representatives stuck to their own narratives in their continuing back and forth:

Then, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung weighed in, mocking them both.

“When two loser comms staffers on losing campaigns shout at each other, and there’s no one around to hear them, do they actually make a sound?” he asked, which was followed up by Trump senior adviser Jason Miller, who piled on:

“.@TheStevenCheung you had a typo. Fixed it for you,” Miller began.

“When two future pizza delivery drivers on losing campaigns shout at each other, and there’s no one around to hear them, do they actually make a sound?” he mocked:

The rising tensions come as primary dates are right around the corner, with Iowa first and then New Hampshire. Trump, notably, is leading in both states by double digits, and there is no sign of his momentum slowing as Haley and DeSantis essentially battle it out for second place. Both DeSantis and Haley will face off in a CNN debate on January 10 — five days ahead of the Iowa caucuses.

Haley and the group PAC supporting her, SFA Fund, have spent a combined $4.6 million on ads in Iowa last year. DeSantis and the PACs supporting him have spent a combined $1.7 million, roughly.

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