Former Tim Scott donor plans a fundraiser for Nikki Haley

November 14, 2023

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Nikki Haley, former ambassador to the United Nations and 2024 Republican presidential candidate, arrives to participate in the Republican primary presidential debate hosted by NBC News in Miami, Florida, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. The debate comes as the nation grapples with how to provide support for Israel in its war against Hamas, which controls Gaza and has been categorized as a terrorist organization by the US and European Union. MUST CREDIT: Bloomberg photo by Eva Marie Uzcategui

14 November 2023 – A donor to the presidential campaign of Senator Tim Scott will co-host a fundraiser for Nikki Haley next month, indicating that Scott’s exit from the race has bolstered her candidacy in some Republican circles.

Eric Levine, of Eiseman Levine Lehrhaupt & Kakoyiannis, P.C., is a former Scott donor who is one of several organizers for the December 4 event.

Other hosts include Terry Kassel, who leads strategic human resources at hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer’s Elliott Investment Management, and Campbell Brown, a former television journalist who last month left Meta Platforms Inc. as head of media and sports partnerships. Brown’s husband, Dan Senor, is a Republican strategist who works at Elliott Investment Management.

Simone Levinson, who served on multiple commissions under former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, is another host.

Terry Kassel and Paul Singer. MUST CREDIT: Bloomberg photo by Calla Kessler

The New York fundraiser is for Haley’s super political action committee, Team Stand For America, according to an invitation obtained by Bloomberg. Individual guests are expected to contribute $16,600, and couples are being asked to give $33,200.

Haley, a former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina governor, has experienced a surge over the past couple of months in part because of her strong debate performances. The uplift in her standing has transformed her into a formidable opponent of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Even if she eclipses him, it is far from clear if she will be able to overtake former President Donald Trump, who remains far ahead of his rivals in polls.

Haley had $11.6 million in her campaign accounts, well below the $37.5 million Trump reported at the end of September, according to federal filings. Other major donors, including billionaire Ken Griffin, have said they are closely watching Haley as a candidate to potentially back in the Republican primary.

Scott, who was appointed to the Senate by Haley in 2012 and announced Sunday night that he was ending his presidential run, said he wouldn’t be making an immediate endorsement in the Republican contest.