SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) 鈥 For Nikki Haley, a win in Iowa doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean a win in the state鈥檚 Republican presidential caucuses.
鈥淭he way I look at it, we just need to have a good showing in Iowa,鈥 the former South Carolina governor said Friday in response to a question during a town hall event in Sioux City. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that means we have to win necessarily, but I think that means we have to have a good showing.鈥
The comments stand in stark contrast to Florida Gov. , who declared decisively that 鈥渨e鈥檙e going to win Iowa鈥 on NBC's 鈥淢eet the Press鈥 last Sunday. DeSantis wouldn鈥檛 say whether he would end his campaign if he didn鈥檛 finish first or second.
DeSantis and Haley are likely battling for a second-place finish, since former President continues to sit comfortably atop the field in polls of Republicans in Iowa and nationwide.
The DeSantis campaign has largely , hoping to deny Trump a big win in the caucuses. A super PAC supporting DeSantis has invested more than $16 million in advertising and more on building a campaign organization.
But DeSantis has faced growing pressure from Haley, who is piquing the interest of donors and voters looking for an alternative to Trump. She recently , the largest conservative grassroots organization in the nation.
Dan Dykstra asked Haley the question Friday, wondering what percentage she鈥檇 need to get in Iowa to be satisfied.
Dykstra acknowledged that Iowa Gov. DeSantis, but 鈥渢hat doesn鈥檛 mean I have to,鈥 the 68-year-old attorney said. The Sioux City Republican will likely choose Haley or DeSantis on Jan. 15, but he hasn鈥檛 committed just yet.
What he really wanted to know: How would Haley, or any candidate, deny Trump the nomination? Haley said a strong showing in Iowa would tee up a favorable match-up between her and the former president in her home state of South Carolina.
鈥淚f she can beat DeSantis and keep the momentum going,鈥 Dykstra said, 鈥渢hen I think that鈥檚 a big deal.鈥
