Trump sweeps both the Iowa and New Hampshire primary, seizing the Republican GOP nominee race.
The former president defeated Nikki Haley by 35,919 votes in the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 23. With Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy out of the Republican race, Haley now serves as Donald Trump’s only rival in the GOP race.
Following the results, Haley took the stage to announce that she would not be dropping out of the race. She wants to continue to prove that she is a viable contender to beat President Biden in the upcoming presidential election—even though no presidential candidate has lost the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries.
Shortly after his victory, Trump took the stage to mock Haley, calling her an imposter and expressing his disapproval of Haley’s decision to continue her campaign.
Haley is now shifting her focus to the South Carolina primary, her home state. Following the loss in New Hampshire, the former governor of South Carolina reported Trump’s “fit” in his New Hampshire speech.
“We got out there, we did our thing and we said what we had to say, and then Donald Trump got out there and just threw a temper tantrum. He pitched a fit. He was insulting. He was doing what he does, but I know that’s what he does when he’s insecure. I know that’s what he does when he is threatened, and he should feel threatened without a doubt,” Haley said.
While Haley plans to forge forward and remain confident in the remaining states, the path ahead does not seem to be in her favor. The next primary will be held in Nevada, on Feb. 8th, where Haley is not even on the Republican Party caucus ballot. While she is on the Nevada state ballot two days before the primary and Trump is not, this ballot would not award her any delegates.
Following the Nevada primary, Trump and Haley will face off in South Carolina on Feb. 24th. Haley remains confident in her home state—spending money on advertisements and scheduling campaign rallies. She has a bigger stake in the South Carolina primary as it will be more difficult for her to be able to explain a loss in her home state, where she formerly served as governor.
The issue with the South Carolina primary is time. Nearly a month away, it is difficult to tell if Haley will be able to maintain the support of Republicans in her home state as they have watched her lose the two past primaries. Aside from the typical party demographics, her recent losses, lack of support from Republican voters and lack of resources may all come crashing down in her home state.
Republican voters in Iowa and New Hampshire who reported that beating Biden was their top priority seemed to lean more towards Trump and Haley. This showcases another issue— gaining trust from republican voters.
Republican voters have more faith in Trump defeating Biden. Trump has been calling on party support since November 2022, when he announced his re-election campaign. Voters have continued to fall in line with Trump’s request. While Americans vow to not want another Biden-Trump election, the comfort in Trump as the GOP nominee is making this more likely.
Despite Trump’s chaotic first presidential terms, Republican voters have turned back to Trump to remove Biden from office. While New Hampshire only represents a small fraction of the country, the lack of voter confidence in Haley is going to make it a lot easier for Trump to guarantee his GOP nomination.