Home Depot co-founder and billionaire Ken Langone warned Thursday that he may withhold financial support for Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign if she doesn’t perform well in next week’s New Hampshire primary.
The 88-year-old financier and Haley-backer told the Financial Times that “a nice sum of money” from him awaits the former South Carolina governor but that the “major gift” won’t come before the Granite State’s Jan. 23 primary results are in.
“If she doesn’t get traction in New Hampshire, you don’t throw money down a rat hole,” Langone told the outlet.
Langone endorsed Haley for president last month, praising her as “smart,” “elegant” and “statesman-like,” but the GOP megadonor now appears to have doubts about the former governor’s ability to secure the Republican nomination.
“Right now, if I had to bet, I think the two candidates will be Biden and Trump,” Langone said, noting that he would “probably” vote for former President Donald Trump despite reservations about the way he handled the aftermath of the 2020 election.
“Trump showed that from Election Day 2020 to January 6, his whole focus, in my opinion, was himself — not what was good for the country,” said Langone, who at one point was a prominent supporter of the former president.
“Away from the histrionics, away from the drama, away from the lack of decorum … [Trump] did some pretty good things,” he added. “My problem is we’re going to need a very competent manager, as well as a president-statesman … I am supporting Nikki Haley because I think she comes [as] close to what you could hope for as anybody out there.”
Haley, 51, finished in third place in Monday’s Iowa Caucus, losing to Trump by more than 30 points and placing behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis by 2 points.
The White House hopeful appears to be better positioned in New Hampshire but she still trails Trump by double digits, according to multiple polls conducted after the Iowa Caucus.
A Saint Anselm College poll released Wednesday pegged Haley in second place, with 38% support, 14 points behind Trump but well ahead of DeSantis, who only received 6% support.
A Suffolk University/NBC10 Boston/Boston Globe poll, also released on Wednesday, showed Trump with 50% support among likely New Hampshire Republican voters, followed by Haley at 34% and DeSantis at 5%.
