The 2024 Republican Presidential Primary: A Three-Way Race Between DeSantis, Haley, and Trump in New Hampshire

The 2024 Republican Presidential Primary is heating up as the race moves to New Hampshire, with former President Donald Trump and his rivals, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, making their final appeals to voters in the Granite State before the state’s primary contest on January 23.

Trump’s Dominance in the Race

Donald Trump’s landslide victory in the Iowa caucuses on January 16, 2024, with over 50% of the votes, marked the biggest win in caucus history. His dominance in the race has left his rivals, Haley and DeSantis, looking for ways to build momentum in New Hampshire and challenge his lead.

Haley and DeSantis’ Struggles

Haley, the former South Carolina governor, and DeSantis, the Florida governor, are both looking to secure a strong showing in New Hampshire to springboard their campaigns. Haley, who has long viewed New Hampshire as a springboard for her campaign, has trimmed Trump’s lead in the state to single digits, according to recent polls. DeSantis, who trails in New Hampshire polls and has invested little outside of Iowa so far, is also looking to grind in every state for delegates, as his deputy campaign manager, David Polyansky, has stated.

Trump’s Juggling Act

While Trump is dominating the campaign trail, he is also juggling his campaign and courtroom appearances. Trump’s second E. Jean Carroll defamation trial is ongoing, and he is toggling between the campaign trail and courtroom today.

DeSantis’ Campaign Strategy

DeSantis’ campaign aide, David Polyansky, has acknowledged the challenges of running against Trump but has touted DeSantis’ second place finish in the Iowa caucuses. Polyansky has also claimed that DeSantis will defeat Haley in her home state, which will force her to drop out and make the race a two-person race once again. The DeSantis campaign is also investing in New Hampshire, Nevada, and even South Carolina, as they are in it for the long haul.

Haley’s Town Hall on CNN

CNN will host a GOP presidential town hall with Nikki Haley tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET from New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire. Jake Tapper will moderate the event, and Haley will take questions from Tapper and a live audience of New Hampshire voters who intend to vote in the New Hampshire GOP primary. The town hall comes ahead of next week’s pivotal primary in New Hampshire, where Haley is looking to secure a strong showing to springboard her campaign.

Trump’s Campaign Attacks on Haley

Trump’s campaign is seeking to blunt Haley’s rise in New Hampshire by sharpening its attacks on her, particularly on immigration. The campaign believes that potential Haley voters in the state are moderate to left-leaning independents who are able to vote in the primary. Trump’s team also believes that Vivek Ramaswamy’s exit from the primary race can only benefit Trump.

Campaigning in New Hampshire

Today, all three candidates, Trump, Haley, and DeSantis, are campaigning in New Hampshire. DeSantis is participating in town halls with the “Never Back Down” PAC, Trump is delivering remarks at a campaign event in Portsmouth, and Haley is hosting a rally in Rochester, where New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu will also join.

The Importance of New Hampshire

New Hampshire is an important state in the Republican Presidential Primary, as it is the first primary in the Northeast and has a history of influencing the outcome of the race. The state’s primary is often seen as a bellwether for the rest of the country, and a strong showing in New Hampshire can help a candidate gain momentum and secure delegates.

Conclusion

The 2024 Republican Presidential Primary is a three-way race between Trump, Haley, and DeSantis, with each candidate making their final appeals to voters in New Hampshire before the state’s primary contest on January 23. Trump’s dominance in the race has left his rivals looking for ways to build momentum and challenge his lead, while Haley and DeSantis are investing in New Hampshire and other states to secure delegates and springboard their campaigns. The outcome of the New Hampshire primary is expected to have a significant impact on the rest of the race.