Former South Carolina Governor and presidential candidate Nikki Haley knows her party is ostensibly concerned with government spending, at least as an enduring rallying cry. Haley appeared to address the spending issue head on in Iowa, where she — in a surprise to many — made out the GOP to be the wicked earmark kings of Congress, while admitting that Democrats, by comparison, were relatively frugal with the nation’s taxpayer dollars.
“In the 2024 budget, Republicans put in $7.4 billion worth of earmarks,” Haley scolded. “Democrats put in $2.8 billion. Now tell me who the big spenders are.” Um, Republicans? By more than double?
Haley: In the 2024 budget, Republicans put in $7.4 billion worth of earmarks. Democrats put in $2.8 billion. Now tell me who the big spenders are pic.twitter.com/1lGenxX0Im
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) January 8, 2024
It’s a headscratcher strategy — appealing to GOP party line voters in the caucuses by castigating one’s own party and portraying them as that most loathsome thing they rage against: tax and spend politicians.
But a swamp is a swamp, as the GOP say, and consider that Haley is in a tough situation, needing to establish bona fides while also remaining mindful not to anger the MAGA Trump base, which the former President wields to sink careers and campaigns. (See: Speaker of the House attempt; Emmer, Tom.)
Just in: Congressman Tom Emmer makes a comeback after Trump derailed his Speaker candidacy. Despite past conflict, Emmer just endorsed Trump for President. Read the full story here: https://t.co/MUbfiJmBFY
— 2paragraphs (@2paragraphs) January 3, 2024
Commentator Stephen Yoder helpfully points out, regarding Haley’s comment, that “earmarks don’t add to spending, but rather direct spending that is already appropriated.” In other words, GOPers may have just grabbed more of the already baked pie?
Plus, earmarks don't add to spending, but rather direct spending that is already appropriated.
— Stephen Yoder 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@StephenYoder19) January 9, 2024
Still, the Haley video admission was immediately edited down and posted up by the Biden campaign as another self-sabotaging soundbite from across the aisle. The Biden-Harris campaign (Biden-HarrisHQ) slings a lot of authoritarian-sounding Trump segments at its audience, but its top coup de communication so far from the GOP side was Rep. Chip Roy‘s brutal ask of his Republican colleagues on the House floor to “tell me one thing we did” this year, “one thing…one material meaningful significant thing the Republican majority has done.” Crickets, he heard back.
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