Luntz: Nikki Haley Appearance With Trump Will Help Him Win Swing Voters

Communications consultant Frank Luntz has suggested that a joint appearance by former Ambassador Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump could help Trump win over swing voters, noting that this key demographic "will listen to her."

"Trump has said that Nikki Haley, who was once his rival in the primaries, may join him on the campaign trail. She’s already done robocalls on his behalf," noted anchor Brianna Keilar, before asking, "But if the Trump campaign uses her, what kinds of voters could she help with, and where might they deploy her?"

"It will help with younger women because Trump is already performing well with older men. It’ll be beneficial in swing states. Nikki Haley garners interest and attention from independents and swing voters. There aren't many left, but those who remain will listen to her," Luntz responded. "It will also be surprising because she’s been so critical of him up until now. This is a very smart move."

Luntz continued, "But in the end, it won’t be about the surrogates—it’s about what the candidates themselves say and how they say it in the last 48 hours that will decide these final votes. For Haley [Harris], the key is getting the turnout of women aged 18 to 29. For Trump, it’s union votes, young African-American men, and Latinos. Right now, it’s too close to call. Whoever does better with these groups will win."

Haley, who previously ran against Trump in the 2024 Republican primary, is now backing him as the party’s nominee.

Having served briefly as Trump’s U.N. ambassador, Haley is reportedly in discussions to join him on the campaign trail to appeal to Republicans who may be disillusioned with the party’s direction.

“The details and dates for their joint appearance haven’t been finalized, but a likely scenario is that they will appear together at a town hall event later this month, possibly involving Fox News personality Sean Hannity,” according to The Bulwark.

In an effort to close the gender gap, Trump’s campaign has hosted five town halls moderated by female political figures since August, though none as high-profile as Haley. Haley, who ran a competitive primary campaign against Trump and was the last Republican standing, spoke on his behalf at the Republican National Convention on July 16.

A Republican consultant with insight into Trump’s campaign noted that Haley has "exceeded expectations" in her support for Trump, saying, "She’s already done robocalls supporting Trump and has helped raise funds for the former president."

“There’s no reason to doubt her commitment to helping,” the source added. “Now, it’s just a matter of aligning their schedules.”

Despite these plans, some Trump associates remain skeptical about a joint appearance, citing potential lingering tensions from the primary season. One unnamed Trump associate commented, "I’ll believe it when I see her on stage with him."

“I hope it happens,” the adviser added, stating that Haley would be an excellent addition to Trump’s town hall series, which has featured female hosts like former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard in Wisconsin, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in Michigan, Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn in Michigan, Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna in North Carolina, and Fox News host Harris Faulkner in Georgia.

Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt reiterated Trump’s message, stating, “Anyone who wants to make America great again, secure our southern border, restore law and order, and bring down inflation has only one choice on the ballot—President Donald J. Trump.” Leavitt also criticized Vice President Kamala Harris, adding, "We welcome all Americans who share these values to join our team."

Back in August, Haley publicly declared her firm support for Trump.