With an easy victory in Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, former United States President Donald Trump took control of the Republican nomination contest and increased the likelihood of a rematch with the incumbent President Joe Biden in November.
Nikki Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations, suffered a setback as a result, even though she spent a lot of time and money in a state known for its independence. Since Florida Governor Ron DeSantis withdrew his presidential ambition over the weekend, she is the only major contender left standing to run against Trump.
Haley faced increasing pressure from Trump’s supporters to withdraw from the race before the polls closed, but she pledged to carry on with her campaign once the results were declared. She criticised the previous president more harshly in a speech to his supporters, casting doubt on his mental stability and positioning herself as a candidate who would bring about generational change.
Speaking to the audience after the polls had closed, Haley said, “This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go.”
In the meantime, Trump can now claim distinction for being the first Republican contender for president to emerge victorious from open contests in Iowa and New Hampshire since these states started to top the election calendar in 1976. This is a remarkable indication of how quickly Republicans have united behind Trump to designate him as their nominee for the third time in a row.
On Tuesday night, at his victory celebration, Trump criticised Haley more than once and seemed significantly more agitated than he did following his Iowa victory, when he called for unity among Republicans.
Trump said, “Let’s not have someone take a victory when she had a very bad night,” going on to add, “Just a little note to Nikki: She’s not going to win.”
With resounding victories in both of the early states, Trump is proving that he can bring the many parts of the GOP together behind him. He has the backing of the more centrist evangelical conservatives in Iowa and New Hampshire, a strength he intends to carry over into the general election.
Whereas Haley won more liberal portions of the state, Trump performed particularly well in the more conservative areas. Only in Democratic-leaning towns and communities like Concord, Keene, and Portsmouth was Haley outperforming Trump.
Biden prevailed in his party’s primary on the Democratic side, however, this was done with a write-in effort. Though New Hampshire moved on with its own primary, the Democratic National Committee decided to hold its primary in South Carolina the next month. Though he didn’t campaign or appear on the ballot, Biden defeated several obscure opponents.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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