South-Carolina
Nikki Haley slated for a dozen fundraisers before South Carolina primary — despite hit in New Hampshire
Despite a punishing loss in New Hampshire, Nikki Haley has nearly a dozen fundraisers scheduled between now and the South Carolina primary — and insiders are now wondering how many of these shindigs will actually happen.
On Jan. 30 in New York City, billionaires including Leonard Stern, Cliff Asness, Stanley Druckenmiller, Ken Langone and Henry Kravis are co-hosting an event for the former South Carolina governor.
On Feb. 6, Silicon Valley mogul Tim Draper is hosting Haley in Atherton, Calif. On Feb. 15, Haley also is slated to be feted in Dallas by real estate tycoon Harlan Crow, according to an invitation reviewed by On The Money.
Elsewhere, Haley is scheduled for fundraisers from Greenville, SC to Houston to San Antonio, with hosts including real estate magnate Ross Perot Jr., French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s ex-wife Cécilia Attias, Susan Rockefeller, GOP strategist Karl Rove’s wife Karen, and former US Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), according to invitations obtained by On The Money.
That’s despite the fact that Haley, also a former US ambassador to the United Nations, trails Trump by 30 percentage points in her home state of South Carolina.
Many donors admit her chances of winning the nomination are slim to none — and some insiders say that for billionaires with cash to spare, supporting Haley may be more about impressing friends with a cocktail party than betting she can pull off an upset.
Indeed, for some hedge fund managers and venture capitalists, it’s far more important to show their friends they tried to stop Trump than actually bet on a winning horse, sources add.
Sources add that Haley bundlers see their support as a sort of “vanity project” to show they will support a centrist candidate — and note that the cash outlay isn’t even in a rounding error in their bank accounts.
Other sources, however, say that some event hosts are re-considering whether it’s worth it to throw good money after bad when they believe Haley has no chance of winning.
“They want to show her respect and not cancel the day after so we won’t know what happens for another couple days,” one source said. But on the other hand, “It’s a weird dance where people are figuring out how to not upset anyone.
“Some of these people viscerally hate Trump but they’re also some of the most sophisticated and successful Americans… and they know when it’s time to fold,” another source added.
Last week, Ken Langone said of Haley, “If she doesn’t get traction in New Hampshire, you don’t throw money down a rathole.”
However, he didn’t go so far as to say he would step away from the fundraiser if he is disappointed by her performance. As of Wednesday, the Jan. 30 event in New York was moving forward.
Part of the new calculation is also trying to avoid the ire of former President Trump — the man who is now expected to nab the nomination and stands a shot of becoming president again.
That is compounded by the fact that if Trump were to drop out, Haley doesn’t necessarily get the nomination — it’s the delegates at the convention who ultimately decide and vote on a replacement. They may select someone who embraces the MAGA agenda as opposed to choosing a more centrist candidate like Haley.
On The Money previously reported that as Haley nabbed endorsements from Republican kingmakers — like the Koch brothers — some wealthy Democratic donors were also quietly funneling cash to her campaign.
Deep-pocketed participants viewed the unusual diversion of funds as an “opposition effort” against another Trump presidency, according to insiders. Haley raised $24 million in the last three months of 2023.
Other fundraiser hosts include hedge fund managers, venture capitalists, partners at law firms like Kirkland Ellis and Paul Weiss as well as former and current executives at Meta, Google, and UBS.
CEO of JPMorgan Chase’s wealth management division Kristin Lemkau is also involved with the New York fundraiser for Haley. Last year her boss, Jamie Dimon, encouraged others on Wall Street to support Nikki Haley. More recently, he has also defended Donald Trump as “kind of right” about a lot of his policies.
South-Carolina
LIVE: SC AG Alan Wilson, state, national leaders hold press conference on statewide drug busts
Statehouse Reporter Mary Green will have more on this tonight.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – South Carolina Attorney General and other officials will be holding a press conference Friday at 9:30 a.m. to talk about statewide drug busts.
Wilson is set to be joined by South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel, representatives from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security, as well as several local sheriffs and other law enforcement partners.
Watch the full press conference in the video above.
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The University of South Carolina’s 2026 football schedule has been unveiled, it was announced tonight on the SEC Network.
The Gamecocks’ 2026 schedule features nine regular-season SEC contests, with five games at home and four on the road. The schedule also includes non-conference games versus Kent State and Towson as part of the seven-game home slate, and a non-conference road contest at Clemson.
After opening the season with three-consecutive home games for the first time since 2014, the Gamecocks will alternate home and road contests throughout the remainder of the schedule. The 2026 schedule features just one open date which will come on week 7 (October 17).
As announced on Monday, the Gamecocks will open the season on Sept. 5 by hosting Kent State. Carolina drubbed the Golden Flashes in its only previous encounter, a 77-14 decision in 1995. Kent State finished the 2025 season with a 5-7 mark overall and a 4-4 record in the Mid-American Conference.
Week 2 will see the Towson Tigers make their first trip to Williams-Brice Stadium. The Tigers compete in the FCS Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) and posted a 6-6 record in 2025 under head coach Pete Shinnick.
The Gamecocks begin their nine-game SEC gauntlet on Sept. 19 when Mississippi State visits Columbia. Carolina has won eight of the last nine meeting with the Bulldogs including a 37-30 win in 2023, the only contest played between the two schools since 2016. The Gamecocks lead the all-time series by a 10-7 margin. Mississippi State is one of seven teams on Carolina’s 2026 schedule that is playing in a post-season game this year.
The Gamecocks first road trip of the 2026 season takes them to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 26 for a date with the Alabama Crimson Tide, one of four teams on South Carolina’s 2026 slate that will appear in this year’s College Football Playoffs. It will mark the third-consecutive season that Carolina and Alabama have squared off, with the Tide narrowly winning the previous two – 27-25 in Tuscaloosa in 2024 and 29-22 in Columbia in 2025.
The Gamecocks and Kentucky Wildcats will meet in Columbia on Oct. 3. The teams met in Williams-Brice Stadium on Sept. 27, 2025, with Carolina prevailing by a 35-13 score, its fourth-straight win in a series they lead 22-14-1.
Carolina wraps up the first half of the season at Florida on Oct. 10. The Gamecocks and Gators met every year on the gridiron from 1992-2023 but have not played in either of the last two seasons. Florida holds a commanding 31-10-3 lead in the all-time series including a 17-2 advantage when playing in The Swamp. Carolina’s last win in Gainesville came in overtime the 2014 season.
After an open date on Oct. 17, the Gamecocks will return to action at home on Oct. 24 against the Tennessee Volunteers. Like Florida, the Gamecocks and Vols met every year from 1992-2023 but have not played in either of the last two seasons. Tennessee leads the all-time series by a 29-13-2 count including a narrow 10-8-2 advantage when the game has been played in Columbia.
The Gamecocks will spend Halloween in Norman playing the Oklahoma Sooners. The teams had never met prior to OU joining the SEC but have played each of the past two seasons with each team winning on the others’ home field.
The Bonham Trophy will be at stake on Nov. 7 when Texas A&M visits Williams-Brice Stadium. The Gamecocks and Aggies have met every year since A&M joined the SEC in 2014. The Aggies hold a 10-2 advantage in the all-time series, but the Gamecocks have won each of the last two meetings in Columbia.
The Gamecocks will travel to Fayetteville, Ark. for just the second time since 2013 when they tangle with the Arkansas Razorbacks on Nov. 14. South Carolina has won three of the last four games with the Hogs, but Arkansas clings to a 14-10 advantage in the all-time series.
The second-longest running series in school history behind only Carolina-Clemson, the Carolina-Georgia rivalry gets renewed on Nov. 21 when the Bulldogs make their way to Columbia from Athens. Georgia has won 55 of the previous 76 meetings between the flagship schools from neighboring states, with the Gamecocks last win coming in 2019.
The 2026 regular season comes to an end on Nov. 28 when the Gamecocks and Clemson Tigers meet in the annual Palmetto Bowl. The 2026 meeting will take place in the Upstate, where the Gamecocks have won each of their last two visits.
SEASON TICKETS
Whether you’ve been attending games for years or want to experience the magic for the first time, it’s not too early to secure your season tickets for the 2026 season. Season tickets are available for as low as $65 per game with a 10-month payment plan option available. Fans interested in purchasing season tickets for the first time, can place a season ticket deposit today for only $50 plus fees or fill out our season ticket interest form to receive more information. Current season ticket holders will receive information soon on how to renew their tickets for the 2026 season and can contact their Gamecock Club Account Representative today to enroll in the 10-month payment plan. For more information on ticket options for the 2026 season, visit 2026 Football Hub.
2026 SOUTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 5 vs Kent State
Sept. 12 vs Towson
Sept. 19 vs Mississippi State*
Sept. 26 at Alabama*
Oct. 3 vs Kentucky*
Oct. 10 at Florida*
Oct. 17 OPEN DATE
Oct. 24 vs Tennessee*
Oct. 31 at Oklahoma*
Nov. 7 vs Texas A&M*
Nov. 14 at Arkansas*
Nov. 21 vs Georgia*
Nov. 28 at Clemson
*-SEC game
Nebraska is targeting ex-South Carolina offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley for an offensive staff role, according to the Omaha World-Herald’s Sam McKewon. The role itself is still to be determined.
Teasley spent three seasons as the Gamecocks’ offensive line coach. He had been with the program since 2021, serving as an offensive analyst. He assumed on-field coaching duties for the program in 2022.
Teasley was let go by South Carolina in October, ending his time with the program.
In addition to his coaching role, he was a strong recruiter for the Gamecocks. He most recently landed Darius Gray, the top interior offensive line recruit in the 2026 class. He was also able to land four-star offensive tackle Kamari Blair for the class as well.
Nebraska football has undergone several changes on offense over the last couple of days. They hired former Georgia Tech offensive line coach Geep Wade for the same position on Saturday, following the firing of Donovan Raiola.
The program is making sweeping changes on both sides of the football. Adding Teasley to the staff would be important for the program, which needs to be better prepared across all areas.
Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.
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