In official voting totals, former president Donald Trump is losing ground to presidential candidate Nikki Haley . In the Republican presidential primary, voters are favoring the former governor of South Carolina, according to American Research Group Inc. When asked which candidate they preferred, Haley received 29% of the vote, while Trump received 33%. According to The Hill, the two Republican leads in New Hampshire were separated by just 4 points. Recently while campaigning in Iowa 44-year-old Jacob Schunk labeled Donald Trump a “grave danger to our country” and pushed Haley to acknowledge the same. The 2024 presidential hopeful responded by saying, “The problem is, what I have faced is anti-Trumpers don’t think I hate him enough. Pro-Trumpers don’t think I love him enough,” Haley addressed Schunk’s remarks while speaking at a town hall in eastern Iowa.
As per APN News , Haley concluded a four-day campaign tour in small Iowan cities on Thursday by speaking to an audience of roughly one hundred people. She stated that given the dangers the United States faces, Trump’s leadership is too disorganized even without mentioning the indictments against him. Schunk later admitted that, despite her not saying exactly what he wanted, he is leaning toward supporting her. “She was 95% there,” Schunk shared after the event. “I think there’s some strategy there in terms of she’s not quite saying Donald Trump is a danger to the country. I think she thinks it. But she’s not willing to say it.”
I agree with Trump on some things & I disagree with him on others. I don’t agree with his massive spending. Or congratulating the Chinese Communist Party on its 70th anniversary. Or ignoring China’s role in the fentanyl crisis. pic.twitter.com/V5nqKvEXqu
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) December 17, 2023
Meanwhile, as Haley’s points surge the probable candidacy for vice president has been a topic of discussion for Trump among his allies and advisors. As reported by CBS News , Haley boasted of her climb in the polls and told New Hampshire voters that she was “surging” against Trump. As per a poll issued this week by Saint Anselm College, nearly thirty percent of Granite State voters who are expected to participate in the Republican primary in New Hampshire selected Haley as their favored candidate.
. @NikkiHaley is closing in on Donald Trump. She is: 2nd in Iowa 2nd in New Hampshire 2nd in South Carolina This is a two person race. pic.twitter.com/gtxDRillu4
— Chris Sununu (@ChrisSununu) December 21, 2023
As per USA Today reports, in a state where independents have a significant influence on the outcome of elections, the former ambassador to the United Nations popularity is especially strong among “somewhat conservative” and “moderate” Republican primary voters. “If Trump doesn’t get over 50%, it shows he has serious competition in the party,” Andrew Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, previously told the publication.
Haley’s remark highlights one of the main issues her campaign is facing: how to win over those who still think highly of the former president without upsetting them. Haley has gained momentum in New Hampshire, where she is currently the most well-positioned Trump opponent and has garnered support. In the coming months leading up to the showdown, Haley seems to be emerging as a strong contender in the race to the White House.