Voters in New Hampshire go to the polls and play a match between Trump and Haley
Elections 2024, California politics
Ziema MehtaJanuary 23, 2024
Voters in New Hampshire went to the polls Tuesday in a presidential primary that could determine whether former President Trump quickly clinch the Republican nomination or face an ongoing challenge from former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.
If Trump wins a decisive victory with Granite State voters, the primary battle will be over. If Haley pulls off a surprise victory, or even comes close to matching his share of the vote, the nomination race could drag on for weeks.
Haley swept the first precinct for voting, a traditional midnight gathering of voters in Dixville Notch. She won the votes of all six voters in the small rural town.
A great start to a great day in New Hampshire, Haley said in a statement shortly after the vote. Thanks Dixville Notch!
Nevertheless, she faces an uphill battle in the primaries, even
although
New Hampshire is considered her most favorable state for early voting.
Trump leads Haley by an average of 18.2 percentage points in an average of polls by Real Clear Politics.
New Hampshire has historically been in the presidential campaign spotlight for its role as host of the nation’s first primary elections.
This year, Democrats revised their calendar, arguing that New Hampshire and Iowa, which hold caucuses shortly before the Granite State, are not representative of the country’s demographics.
Biden did not campaign in the state and his name is not on the ballot. But his supporters waged an aggressive write-in campaign and he is widely expected to win the state’s Democratic primary.
In this year’s Republican primary, the scrutiny seemed particularly intense as the state’s independent-minded and more moderate voters were seen as a potential stronghold for Trump to become the majority party.
G.O.P
nominee.
Despite facing 91 felony charges in four criminal cases, including an attempt to undermine the last election, Trump overwhelmingly won the Iowa caucus
It
last week.
The Republican, who was expected to be the strongest challenger to the former president, is the governor of Florida. Ron DeSantis, dropped out on Sunday and endorsed Trump. He was the latest in a line of candidates to challenge Trump and fold, including former Vice President Mike Pence, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, governor of New Jersey. Chris Christie and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.
DeSantis’ decision to suspend his campaign left Haley as the former president’s only major Republican rival.
Haley and Trump are increasingly demolished. On Monday, as Haley stormed New Hampshire, she pleaded to voters that the former president should not be re-elected because of the criminal charges he faces and his fixation on those he views as enemies.
“When you go out on Tuesday, you’re going to decide: Do you want more of the same, or do you want something new?” Haley said in Franklin, NH
Even if Haley does well in New Hampshire, her path to the nomination will be fraught.
She will likely make headlines for winning the Nevada primary on February 6, and then Trump will win the states’ delegates in party primaries held two days later. (In between, Haley will be raising money in Orange County.)
In her home state of South Carolina, where she served as governor, Haley is an average of 30 points behind Trump in the polls for the February 24 primary.
Trump, who has stepped up his attacks on Haley in recent days, predicted victory Monday as he spoke to voters in Laconia, N.H.
Every day, the Republican Party becomes more and more unified, he said. We started at 1 p.m [rivals] and now there’s only two people left, and I think one person will probably be gone tomorrow.
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.