DeSantis Calls Nikki Haley the ‘Liberal Candidate Running’ Ahead of the Pair Squaring Off in CNN Debate

GOP presidential hopeful and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dubbed Nikki Haley the "liberal candidate" among Republicans running for the 2024 nomination ahead of their CNN debate on Jan. 10.

DeSantis, Haley, and former President Donald Trump were the only three candidates to qualify for the next primary debate stage, but Trump is keeping with his new campaign tradition of skipping the night's event in favor of counter-programming elsewhere.

Haley urged Trump to show up to the event despite his other plans.

Speaking with Fox News' Bill Hemmer on America's Newsroom on Wednesday, DeSantis chalked up a recent polling bump for Haley (along with a fundraising bump) to help from the "liberal media" painting her as the alternative Republican candidate to Trump.

"She's had a very difficult time recently because had been pumped up by liberal media, which I understand, she's the liberal candidate running, and she's come under scrutiny and she's not been able to handle basic questions that people are asking," DeSantis said about Haley.

The comments follow Haley's campaign declaring DeSantis should drop out of the race if he does not walk away with a victory from the Iowa caucus.

DeSantis also appeared to reference Haley's recent "Civil War" debacle, in which the former United Nations ambassador faced bipartisan backlash after failing to cite slavery as a cause for the Civil War. She would go on to say "of course" it was a reason as she entered cleanup mode for the campaign.

DeSantis knocked Haley for investments in South Carolina from China while she was governor. He also dismissed Trump's large polling lead, touting his campaign's organization on the ground in the state, including 1,500 precinct captains.