Just in: In Iowa, Nikki Haley misidentifies a basketball player’s name for a CNN anchor.
In yet another awkward moment on the campaign trail, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley mispronounced the name of a local college basketball star on Saturday.
While speaking at the Iowa Athletic Club in Coralville, Haley unintentionally called Caitlin Clark, the star of the Iowa Hawkeyes, “Kaitlan Collins,” the name of the up-and-coming CNN anchor.
We can’t wait to watch the Lady Hawkeyes squad. They really have a fantastic coach. “Kaitlan Collins is amazing,” Haley exclaimed, eliciting a few puzzled glances from the audience.
In a lighthearted response to the confusion, the real Kaitlan Collins posted on X, “I can assure you her free-throw percentage is much better than mine.”
It follows criticism Haley faced this week in New Hampshire when a voter questioned her about what she thought led to the American Civil War and she chose not to bring up slavery.
Hours later, Haley—a former South Carolina governor and UN ambassador—retracted her remarks regarding the Civil War, saying in a radio interview that it was “obviously about slavery,” calling it “a stain on America.”
Another GOP candidate, Ron DeSantis, capitalized on Haley’s error in Iowa by releasing a post on X: “Nicki Haley just landed in Iowa and confused an Iowa basketball star with a CNN anchor after making a fool of herself in New Hampshire.”
Haley continued to attend the Hawkeyes women’s basketball home game against Minnesota on Saturday despite the setback, as Clark finished with 35 points and 10 assists.
According to the Associated Press, Haley entered Carver-Hawkeye Arena with her son Nalin while sporting an Iowa button on her coat.
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The former governor of South Carolina referred to the top-ranked women’s basketball team in her home state, the Gamecocks, when describing Iowa coach Lisa Bluder as a “rock star.”
“In South Carolina, women’s basketball is a common sight,” Haley remarked. We’re happy to be here and are excited. Go, Lady Hawkeyes!
Last March, in an NCAA tournament semifinal, Clark scored 41 points as Iowa ended the perfect season of defending champion South Carolina.
At Saturday’s game, Haley chatted with former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and David Bluder, the coach’s husband.
Even as some fans approached Haley as she took her seat, all eyes were on Clark, the reigning Associated Press national player of the year .
Clark, who has earned fame and fortune with her once-in-a-generation game , has about 20,000 more followers on Instagram than does Haley, a former UN ambassador.
Haley is hoping to build on momentum as the January 15 Iowa caucuses approach battling DeSantis for what may well amount to a second-place finish.
Former President Donald Trump continues to hold a commanding lead in the polls, frustrating some Iowa voters who want a more competitive race.
