New Hampshire Primaries 2024: Trump and Biden Secure Convincing Wins, Haley Vows to Continue Campaigning

The New Hampshire primaries of 2024 saw former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden secure convincing victories in their respective parties, further solidifying the likelihood of a general election rematch between the two political heavyweights. The primaries, held on January 23, 2024, marked the second major electoral event following the Iowa caucuses, and provided valuable insights into the political landscape of the United States.

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Trump’s main Republican opponent, had hoped to win enough support from moderate voters in New Hampshire to stage a comeback. Similarly, Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., continued to make the case that Biden was too old and unpopular to successfully take on Trump. However, both candidates failed to make significant headway against their respective frontrunners.

The top five moments from the New Hampshire primaries are as follows:

1. Haley vows GOP race is “far from over”
Despite her second consecutive loss to Trump and polls suggesting that upcoming contests in Nevada and South Carolina would yield similar results, Haley vowed to continue campaigning for the Republican nomination. In a speech to her supporters, she declared, “New Hampshire is first in the nation. It is not the last in the nation. This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go.” Haley’s determination to press on raises questions about the financial implications of her campaign, particularly in light of the upcoming South Carolina primary on February 24.

2. Trump declares Republican Party “very united” around his candidacy
Following his victory, Trump expressed his gratitude to the voters and declared that the Republican Party was “very united” behind his candidacy. He stated, “I’m very honored by the result. I was looking forward to going against the worst president in the history of our country in the general election, and now we have to focus on that.” Trump’s comments regarding Haley’s continued campaigning were, “She should because, otherwise, we have to keep wasting money instead of spending it on Biden.”

3. Biden pulls off massive write-in victory after not appearing on ballot
Biden secured a massive write-in victory in the Democrat primary despite not filing as a candidate in the state last year. He garnered over 60% of the overall votes at the time the race was called, with Rep. Dean Phillips in a distant second place. The exclusion of Biden from the ballot stemmed from a dispute between New Hampshire and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) over the timing of the primary. No delegates were allocated during the primary, but the DNC is expected to review the matter in the future.

4. More big-name Republicans call on Haley to drop out of the race
Following Trump’s victory, more prominent Republicans began calling on Haley to drop out of the race, including Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. McDaniel stated, “Looking at the math and the path going forward, I don’t see it for Nikki Haley. I think she’s run a great campaign, but I do think there is a message that’s coming out from the voters which is very clear: We need to unite around our eventual nominee, which is going to be Donald Trump, and we need to make sure we beat Joe Biden.” Ramaswamy criticized Haley’s continued candidacy, stating, “It represents the ugly underbelly of American politics, where the mega-donors are trying to do one thing when we the people say another.”

5. Record number of voters turn out for the Republican primary
The New Hampshire Republican primary saw record turnout, with over 293,000 ballots cast compared to just over 101,000 in the Democrat primary. The previous record for a Republican primary in the state was set in 2016 during Trump’s first run for the presidency, when approximately 284,000 ballots were cast. The high voter turnout is a positive sign for the Republican Party and underscores the importance of the upcoming general election.

In conclusion, the New Hampshire primaries of 2024 provided valuable insights into the political landscape of the United States, with Trump and Biden securing convincing victories. Haley’s determination to continue campaigning raises questions about the financial implications of her campaign, while Biden’s massive write-in victory underscores the importance of voter engagement. The calls for Haley to drop out of the race from prominent Republicans and the record voter turnout in the Republican primary further highlight the significance of the upcoming general election.