A recent American Research Group Inc. survey reveals that former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley is closing in on former President Donald Trump among likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire. The survey found that 33% of the GOP voters in the Granite State favored Trump, while 29% backed Haley – the closest margin in months.
The poll’s results show that Trump’s support is still strong in New Hampshire, despite losing in the state’s primary in 2016. However, Haley’s close proximity to him may signify a changing tide in the state’s Republican politics.
The survey also reveals that former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie placed third among the contenders with 13% support, followed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis with 6%, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy with 5%, and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson with 1%. Of the remainder, 12% said they were undecided and 1% said they would support another candidate.
The poll also revealed that among those who confirmed they would turn out to vote on Jan. 23, Trump led Haley by only one percentage point, with 33% favoring him and 32% going for Haley. However, Trump had a wider margin among probable primary voters, with 33% supporting him, followed by Ramaswamy with 18%, DeSantis with 14%, Christie with 9%, and Haley with 8%. Surprisingly, 16% of these voters remained undecided.
The strong showing by Haley among GOP voters in New Hampshire could reflect her fundraising prowess and high-profile speeches since leaving her post as the ambassador to the United Nations. It also emphasizes the increasing number of Republican voters turning away from Trump’s bombastic style and towards a more measured and thoughtful approach, as Haley represents.
With the New Hampshire primary just a few months away and these poll results widely disseminated, the GOP candidates now have a clearer picture of how they stack up against each other. However, with Trump still holding onto a significant lead, he continues to be the GOP’s front-runner, at least in New Hampshire, for now.