Former US President Donald Trump is poised to win the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, leaping closer to the Republican presidential nomination, after he led the race with 52.5 per cent of the votes against former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who polled 46.6 per cent.
The victory in New Hampshire comes eight days after his successful clinching of the Iowa caucuses. No Republican has won both and failed to take the party’s nomination.
The results in New Hampshire are a setback for Haley despite putting up a better-than-expected show. She had invested much of her time and resources in the state, hoping for an upset victory. Though the results will likely increase calls from some Republicans for Haley to drop out of the race, the Indian-American vowed to push on.
"What a great night, God is so good," she addressed her supporters at Concord in New Hampshire. "I want to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory tonight. He earned it. And I want to acknowledge that. Now you've all heard the chatter among the political class they're falling all over themselves saying this race is over," she said. "Well, I have news for New Hampshire is first in the nation. It is not the last. This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left," Haley said.
Trump campaign, on the other hand, urged Haley to drop out of the race. "Haley does not have a path to victory. Instead, if Haley stays in the race, she will play an active role in advancing the re-election of Harris-Biden," it said.
The race heads to Nevada caucuses next on February 8 and Trump's victory is certain considering Haley isn't participating. Hence, the focus is on her home state of South Carolina, where she was twice elected governor. She trails the former president by dozens of points in public polling but Haley is upbeat about her home state.
She told her supporters that Trump will have "a harder time" in South Carolina next month. "South Carolina voters don't want a coronation. They want an election, and we're going to give them one because we are just getting started," Haley added.
Trump's campaign, however, has its sights set on wrapping up the primary early, with landslide victories in the early-voting states and then effectively clinching the nomination by mid-March. The former President made it clear in his final pitch to voters in Laconia on Monday night. "Get out of bed and just get to vote. Grab your neighbour, grab everybody. You gotta you, gotta go out because we have to win by big margins," he said.
"And the reason we have to do that [is] very simple. You know what the reason is: In November, we have to send the signal that we’re not playing games."
Meanwhile, the Democrats believe the battleground is set for Trump to take on Biden. "Former US president Donald Trump has all but locked up the GOP nomination," the Biden-Harris campaign said on Tuesday after the results of the New Hampshire primary declared him as the winner.
"Tonight's results confirm Donald Trump has all but locked up the GOP nomination, and the election-denying, anti-freedom MAGA movement has completed its takeover of the Republican Party," Biden-Harris 2024 Campaign Manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement.