In a surprising turn of events, former President Donald Trump emerged victorious in the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, but his major rival, Nikki Haley, remains determined to keep fighting. Speaking to supporters after the race was quickly called for Trump, Haley emphasized that the race is far from over, despite the chatter among the political class. The former two-term South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador in the Trump administration now heads back to her home state, where the next major contest in the Republican nominating calendar will take place on February 24.
While Trump’s victory in New Hampshire came as no surprise, it is worth noting that Haley overperformed expectations, securing the influential endorsement of popular Republican Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire. Independent voters, who make up roughly 40% of the electorate in New Hampshire and have long played an influential role in the state’s storied presidential primary, were considered a fertile ground for Haley. However, as the votes were tabulated, Trump maintained a 10-12 point margin lead over Haley, below what most of the final public opinion surveys had suggested.
Trump, in an interview, urged Haley to suspend her campaign so that he could focus on targeting President Biden in what is expected to be a general election rematch. He argued that continuing to spend money on Haley’s campaign would be a waste, diverting resources from their primary goal of defeating Biden. However, Haley’s campaign remains optimistic, citing the $1.5 million in fundraising they received since Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended his campaign.
Despite Trump’s victory, seasoned Republican strategist Colin Reed acknowledged that Haley was wise to quickly make it clear that the race is far from over. He emphasized that she now needs to sharpen her message and make her case to voters in the coming month. Meanwhile, a source within Haley’s political orbit noted that Trump’s performance in New Hampshire, where he barely received half the votes, is weak for an incumbent.
While Trump celebrated his victory in Iowa a week ago by praising his opponents, he took a different tone in his New Hampshire address, criticizing Haley for delivering a speech as if she had won. He emphasized that she had a very bad night and should not take a victory that she did not earn.
The race for the 2024 GOP nomination continues to be a challenging one for Haley, but she has earned the right to make that journey, according to longtime New Hampshire-based Republican consultant Jim Merrill. The upcoming contests in South Carolina and other states will be crucial for both Trump and Haley as they strive to secure the nomination.
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