After a historic victory in Iowa, Donald Trump has set his sights on the New Hampshire primary, where Nikki Haley is trying to stem the momentum of the front-runner, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Haley, who finished third behind Ron DeSantis in Iowa, is hoping for a more favorable result in New Hampshire’s Jan. 23 primary to appeal to the state’s centrist voters.
While acknowledging Trump’s success in Iowa, Haley emphasized her prospects in New Hampshire, calling the Republican primary a two-person race.
She argued that there were positive aspects to Trump’s presidency, but argued that the controversies surrounding him could hinder the GOP’s chances against President Biden in the November election.
Trump’s rally in southern New Hampshire and Haley’s upstate appearance hint at a head-to-head fight. Recent polls suggest Haley has narrowed Trump’s lead, creating a competitive scenario. Before Iowa, polls showed Trump leading at 43%, Haley at 30% and DeSantis at just under 6%.
Trump’s dominant performance in Iowa puts him in a strong position, and a landslide victory in New Hampshire could eliminate the competition. However, the campaign is counting on the fact that it may not get the necessary delegates for the nomination until March.
Candidates challenging Trump were hoping to mount an upset, with Haley consolidating support among college-educated Republicans and DeSantis addressing fears of a liberal takeover.
But Trump’s broad appeal across different groups of voters, as preliminary results suggest, poses a huge challenge.
While concerns about school curriculum loomed large among caucus participants, Trump’s considerable support among those voters left little room for DeSantis.
