DeSantis capitalizes on Haley civil war misstep ahead of Iowa caucuses

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is seizing on fellow 2024 Republican rival Nikki Haley after she did not say the Civil War was caused by slavery during a town hall event in New Hampshire.

DeSantis's campaign has repeatedly slammed Haley over the comments, claiming she isn't "ready for primetime." The remark comes amid Haley's recent rise in the primary campaign, which could now be threatened by her gaffe. This is the latest dust-up between the two candidates who have bitterly battled for second place in the primary behind former President Donald Trump.

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"I noticed that Nikki Haley has had some problems with some basic American history. She was asked a very simple question and responded with just really incomprehensible word salad about this and that," DeSantis said Thursday. "I just think that this shows, this is not a candidate that's ready for prime time. She's gotten a pretty free ride from a lot of the corporate press. The minute that she faces any type of scrutiny she tends to cave."

Then, to twist the proverbial knife into Haley further, DeSantis explained his own beliefs on the Civil War. "Not that difficult to identify and acknowledge the role slavery played in the Civil War," he continued. "And yet that seemed to be something that was really difficult. I don't even know what she was saying."

He also reportedly said at a different campaign event in Iowa that the Republican Party was "founded to put a stop to the growth of slavery in this country," which the GOP should be proud of.

Although Haley has since said that the war was caused by slavery, she originally claimed that it was due to "how government was going to run. The freedoms and what people couldn't do" during a New Hampshire town hall on Wednesday when questioned by an audience member. She also claimed later on that the question was planted by Democrats to trip her up because President Joe Biden wants to run against Trump in next year's presidential elections.

The Florida governor's rapid response team was quick to slam Haley over the remarks that very night. His rapid response team responded to Haley's comments with a simple "Yikes" on social media followed by several posts attacking her.

Andrew Romeo, DeSantis's campaign spokesman, excoriated Haley on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Thursday morning. "Embarrassing cleanup attempt," he posted. "Even if that is true ... If she can’t handle a question as basic as the cause of the Civil War, what does she think is going to happen to her in a general election. The Democrats would eat her lunch."

The controversy surrounding Haley is a welcome respite for the DeSantis campaign, which has faced scrutiny over its viability before the crucial Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses, which he has staked his 2024 bid on. Trump continues to dominate his GOP rivals in national polls. A ReaClearPolitics poll average shows the former president at 62.5%, DeSantis at 11.3%, less than 1 percentage point above Haley at 11%.

Within the last month, six executives have left Never Back Down, the super PAC that has acted as a de facto campaign for DeSantis, further distracting from his bid to win over Iowans before they decide on who they want as the GOP nominee. Meanwhile, Haley is nipping at DeSantis's heels for second place and, until this week, had generally received better media coverage than he has.

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Yet, DeSantis and Haley are set to face off on the debate stage on Jan. 10, likely the last time before the Iowa caucuses. If this week is any indication, the Florida governor is likely to throw the Civil War controversy in Haley's face one more time in a bid to improve his status.

The Washington Examiner reached out to Haley's campaign for comment.