The online war of words is escalating between Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, with the former ambassador and governor attacking the businessman for his criticism of women in the party, and Mr. Ramaswamy accusing Ms. Haley of playing “identity politics.” 

Ms. Haley’s ascent in the 2024 Republican presidential nomination competition, rising to second place behind President Trump in the primaries, is making her the new favorite target for others in the race, especially Mr. Ramaswamy.

In national polling, Ms. Haley has been on an upward trajectory since late August, rising to about 9 percent support from about 3 percent nationally in mid-August, according to FiveThirtyEight’s average of polls. In New Hampshire and South Carolina, Ms. Haley has overtaken Governor DeSantis to rank second after Mr. Trump.

Ms. Haley and Mr. Ramaswamy have clashed throughout the primary, with Ms. Haley calling Mr. Ramaswamy “scum” and Mr. Ramaswamy labeling Ms. Haley “Dick Cheney in three-inch heels” at the last GOP primary debate.

Ms. Haley responded on the “Ruthless” podcast, saying that Mr. Ramaswamy “might have a girl problem,” referring to his attacks on women in the press and the party. “He comes out of the gate, he hits the female chair of the party,” Ms. Haley said. “He hits the female anchor on the platform and then he hits me. And I’m not saying anything, but he might have a girl problem.”

In return, Republican influencers online started dog piling on Ms. Haley for talking about her personal experience as a woman in politics and how she was inspired to run for office by Senator Clinton.

In an interview with the New York Times in 2012, Ms. Haley said, “The reason I actually ran for office is because of Hillary Clinton,” then going on to explain that people telling her, “I was too young, I had small children, I should start at the school board level.”

“I went to Birmingham University, and Hillary Clinton was the keynote speaker on a leadership institute, and she said that when it comes to women running for office, there will be everybody that tells you why you shouldn’t but that’s all the reasons why we need you to do it, and I walked out of there thinking ‘That’s it. I’m running for office,’” Ms. Haley said. 

Mr. Ramaswamy also responded to Ms. Haley in a post, saying, “Sorry Nikki, having two X chromosomes doesn’t immunize you, Ronna McDaniel, or Kristen Welker from criticism. I don’t think Kamala Harris is going to run so there might be an opening for you in the party of identity politics.”

“Nikki Haley’s gender-card schtick is pathetic and straight out of the Kamala Harris/Hillary Clinton playbook,” Mr. Ramaswamy said. “There’s a reason why the MSM is propping her up as their token Republican.”

In response to a request for comment from the Sun, a spokeswoman for Mr. Ramaswamy’s campaign, Tricia McLaughlin, says, “I don’t think it’s an accusation,” referencing Mr. Ramaswamy’s comments on identity politics, “it’s a fact.”

“He also went after Dick Cheney and Lindsey Graham, so I don’t think he had a ‘girl problem,’ I think he has a neocon problem,” Ms. McLaughlin says.

Mr. Ramaswamy elaborated on his position in an interview with CNN, saying, “there’s an old neocon win of the Republican Party that I’ve been crystal clear critical of.”

“She claims to eschew identity politics yet embraces it when it’s convenient,” Mr. Ramaswamy said, adding that he’s criticized “Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, John Bolton.”

Ms. Haley’s campaign declined to comment.