Former President Donald Trump received a significant boost in his campaign as former Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race and endorsed Trump. This sets the stage for a two-person race between Trump and Nikki Haley. On the eve of the primary, Trump held a big get-out-the-vote rally in Laconia, New Hampshire, where he was joined on stage by Tim Scott of South Carolina, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Doug Burgum.
Haley, however, criticized Trump's supporters, stating that they had no chance of becoming the nominee. She also pointed out that Governor DeSantis had dismissed the importance of Tim Scott's opinion. In response, Karoline Leavitt, the National Press Secretary for the Trump campaign, stated that Haley herself had no chance of becoming the nominee and emphasized the unity within the Republican Party around Trump.
Leavitt highlighted some of Haley's alleged controversial stances, including her opposition to Trump's border wall in 2016, her support for amnesty for illegal immigrants, and her endorsement of a 23% national federal sales tax, which goes against the sales tax-free status of New Hampshire. Leavitt also claimed that Haley is backed by Democratic donors and is targeting Democratic voters in her campaign.
However, Haley expressed confidence in her chances and believed that many of DeSantis' voters would support her in the Granite State. She argued that they wanted a new generational leader who would clean up the government. There is speculation that about 62% of DeSantis' voters may go to Trump, leaving a potential 38% for Haley.
Leavitt remained steadfast in her beliefs, asserting that Trump's victory would be a devastating blow to Haley's campaign, similar to his historic victory in Iowa. She emphasized the Trump campaign's organized and enthusiastic grassroots volunteers, who are tirelessly promoting voter turnout for the former president.
One of the key points of contention between Trump and Haley is the potential involvement of Democrats in the Republican primary. Trump alleged that Democrats could easily sign up as undeclared voters to stop his campaign. However, the deadline for Democrats to switch their party affiliation was back in October, and only about 4,000 Democrats had become undeclared by that time. Leavitt supported Trump's claim, stating that nearly 5,000 formerly registered Democrats had switched parties to specifically vote for Haley.
In conclusion, the stage is set for a fierce battle between Donald Trump and Nikki Haley in the New Hampshire primary. Both candidates have their own strategies and beliefs about voter support. Ultimately, the primary results will determine the trajectory of their campaigns and the Republican Party's future direction.
