Haley Campaign Press Release - The Morning After: Haley Wins the Second Debate

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The morning after the second GOP presidential debate, the praise for Nikki Haley's performance continues to pile up. From conservative leaders to political pundits to early state activists, people are impressed with Haley's toughness, her command of the issues, and her conservative policy solutions. Even Donald Trump indicated that he sees Haley as his number one rival.

WINNING

Washington Post: Nikki Haley skewers opponents in second GOP primary debate Allan Smith, NBC News: Looks like Team Trump thinks there's a new person in second place

Axios: Haley, who saw the biggest polling boost after her first debate performance, was sharp on policy details and came prepared to brawl...In a sign that Haley has come to be viewed as a potential threat, the Trump campaign circulated a fact sheet in the middle of the debate titled, "The Real Nikki Haley."

Bloomberg Politics: LATEST: An absent Trump under fire, Nikki Haley shines and Ron DeSantis struggles.

The Hill: Nikki Haley, Trump's former UN ambassador, emerged as the biggest winner who was actually on the debate stage on Wednesday night.

Jon Levine, New York Post: Nikki Haley was the winner

The Messenger: Each of the Republican presidential candidates had the same mission Wednesday night when they met for their second debate: have a moment. Time and again, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley cleared that hurdle.

Aaron Blake, Washington Post: Winners: Nikki Haley

The strength of Haley's initial debate performance was dealing directly with issues and looking like a serious candidate who could appeal to all parts of the party. And while she may have had a bit less impact on Wednesday night than she did in the first debate, she mostly did it again.

James Oliphant, Reuters: My take: Haley has established herself as the comer in the field. DeSantis had a stronger night than the first debate. Vivek is his own planet. Scott can't seem to break through. Pence/Christie fighting lonely fights.

Frank Luntz: Nikki has owned Vivek tonight. I never dreamed I would write that sentence

David Kochel: The @NikkiHaley response on healthcare which talked about transparency and competition is the best health care answer I've ever heard. #PowertothePatients. cc: @PtRightsAdvoc

The FAMiLY LEADER: In tonight's #RepublicanDebate #GOPDebate, @NikkiHaley backs #parents, #schoolchoice, and transparency in schools: "No parents should ever wonder what is being taught in the classroom." #ChooseWell2024

MSNBC: Who 'won' the second GOP debate? Nikki Haley was not about to let go of the momentum she established at last month's debate in Milwaukee. She landed the best punches of the night.

Michael Scherer, Washington Post: Haley is just more comfortable on that stage than all the guys, two debates running.

The Guardian: Nikki Haley picks fights with rivals and seizes momentum in Republican debate

Axios: Haley shines, Trump a target: Key takeaways from the GOP debate

Washington Post: Nikki Haley skewers opponents in second GOP primary debate

Chris Cillizza: Nikki Haley is just a better debater than Tim Scott

Politico: Line of the night (directed at Ramaswamy): "This is infuriating. ... Honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say."

Wall Street Journal: Nikki Haley Wants to Save You 18.4 Cents a Gallon

NBC News: New Hampshire college students are impressed by Haley

Emma Barnett, NBC News: I watched the debate with eight college students who vote in New Hampshire. 6/8 thought @NikkiHaley won the debate.

Emma Barnett, NBC News: I watched the debate with eight college students who voted in New Hampshire. Here is why some of them thought @NikkiHaley won the debate... Nikki Haley just kind of blew it out of the park. Mike Pence was pretty calm. Same with Tim Scott. Neither of them really stood out as having any super strong moments. Nikki Haley is definitely definitely the winner of tonight's debate, I think." - Zaccary Lacasse, 20 "If the New Hampshire primaries were held today, I'm casting my ballot for Nikki Haley. She seems to be most poised, most prepared, most ready to handle the presidency and from an electoral standpoint." - Michael Toronto, 19 (came into the night supporting DeSantis and Pence) "I also thought Nikki Haley had the strongest debate tonight. I think she was the most poised and had the best argument and presented most eloquently." - Julia Matte, 21

CURTAIN-GATE

Kelsey Bolar: Low blow for Tim Scott to go after @NikkiHaley for #curtaingate. That was a fake news story published by The New York Times and was thoroughly debunked, because as it turned out, the curtains were actually purchased by the Obama administration.

Ari Fleischer: This curtain debate is dumb. And Tim Scott is wrong on the substance. The NYT did a hit job on Haley about those stupid curtains - and then the Times basically retracted it when they realized she had nothing to do with it.

Andrew Bernard, The Algemeiner: The US ambassador to the UN used to live at the Waldorf-Astoria. This was actually a nightmare because they had to pay all expenses (read Daniel Patrick Moynihan's letters.) China bought the building. The new residence needed curtains. It's in Manhattan. Obama admin bought them. The Nikki Haley curtains thing has always been the dumbest hit job BS.

USA Today: Tim Scott claim: Nikki Haley spent $50,000 on curtains as the UN ambassador

"As the UN ambassador, you literally put $50,000 on curtains." -Scott This is false, and Nikki Haley has a New York Times correction to prove it.

USA Today: 'Bring it, Tim:' South Carolina candidates Haley, Scott argue about experience at GOP debate

Politico: Nikki Haley and Tim Scott got into a shouting match over...curtains in tonight's debate.

Scott accused Haley of spending $50K on drapes in the U.N. ambassador's residence. Haley — correctly — pointed out that the Obama admin bought them.

S.E. Cupp: I hope Tim Scott has something bigger than curtains to lord over Nikki Haley... #GOPDebate

Wall Street Journal: Nikki Haley Rejects Tim Scott's Jab About $50,000 Curtains