In an email to staff obtained by POLITICO, Americans For Prosperity CEO Emily Seidel said Sunday that the group's political arm, AFP Action, had to "take stock" of its spending priorities after Haley's loss in the South Carolina primary. The Koch-aligned group, Seidel said, will now focus its efforts on competitive Senate and House races.

"She has made it clear that she will continue to fight and we wholeheartedly support her in this effort," Seidel wrote of Haley. "But given the challenges in the primary states ahead, we don't believe any outside group can make a material difference to widen her path to victory."

AFP Action's decision is the latest blow to Haley's longshot presidential bid, which has sustained losses in four early nominating states and the Virgin Islands, including on Saturday, when former President Donald Trump beat Haley in her home state by 20 points. Haley declared she will continue on in her primary fight, but has only committed to running through Super Tuesday on March 5.

[...]

While the decision by AFP to stop spending represents a blow to her campaign, Haley is still raising strong amounts of cash on her own. That, in turn, has allowed her to sustain her bid despite its string of losses.

Olivia Perez-Cubas, a spokesperson for Haley, thanked AFP for its support and said the campaign has "plenty of fuel to keep going" and a "country to save." Perez-Cubas on Sunday afternoon said Haley had raised more than $1 million online in the last 24 hours.

"AFP is a great organization and ally in the fight for freedom and conservative government," Perez-Cubas said. "We thank them for their tremendous help in this race."

A spokesperson for AFP Action declined to say how much the organization spent boosting Haley's campaign. In addition to television, digital and mail ads, AFP Action deployed hundreds of field workers on the ground to knock doors in the early states.

Seidel said the group "stands firm behind our endorsement for Nikki Haley," describing her as "a special leader with conviction, resolve, and steel in her spine to jump into a tough race with a narrow path."

Even prior to pulling the plug on Haley, AFP Action had started to boost its endorsed Senate candidates, including launching an ad buy last week in Montana and running digital advertisements in Nevada and Pennsylvania. The group also endorsed in the Wisconsin Senate race and plans to back candidates in the Ohio and Michigan races, too, Seidel said. She said this year's Senate races were always AFP's "top priority."

• Yemeni officials allied with West-UAE-Saudi coalition ditch 'UN recognised gov't' to join the defenders of Gaza
• IDF chief says war in Lebanon becoming much more likely

• Korybko: Russia's Avdeevka win will reverberate across Europe and accelerate geostrategic shifts
• US to deploy 5 aircraft carriers in western Pacific in latest provocation against China
• US admiral says Red Sea is largest battle Navy fought since World War II

• CIA has built vast anti-Russian spy network in Ukraine over the last 10 years - NYT
• How the CIA destabilizes the world
• Why has the CIA decided to allow its media mouthpiece to confirm its involvement in Ukraine's brutal assassination campaign?
• CIA has spent tens of millions on Ukrainian intelligence agencies - WaPo
• NewsReal: Ukraine War 2-Year Anniversary: The West is Still Losing

• Judges halt Biden rule offering student debt relief for those alleging colleges misled them
• Federal judge declares Biden's student debt relief program unlawful
• Student loan relief seen costing billions and favoring top earners
• How Senator Biden helped create the student debt crisis President Biden is pretending to fix
• Records show Dems pushing college loan forgiveness owe massive sums in student debt
• Student loan debt relief has stalled; defrauded borrowers stuck in limbo