Title: Trump Holds Lead in New Hampshire Republican Primary, Haley Surges to Second Place
Former President Donald Trump continues to maintain a significant advantage among likely voters in New Hampshire’s upcoming Republican presidential primary, according to a recent poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. However, his lead in the state is slightly lower than his national polling numbers, with 42% of likely voters expressing their intention to vote for him.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has emerged as a strong contender, moving ahead of Trump’s other rivals and securing second place in the poll. Haley’s support has seen an impressive climb of 8 percentage points since the last survey conducted in September. Meanwhile, Christie, DeSantis, and Ramaswamy have managed to maintain relatively steady support, with no other candidate garnering more than 2% support.
Trump’s advantage in New Hampshire is further buoyed by his majority support among registered Republicans, while undeclared voters are evenly split between Haley, Trump, and Christie. Undeclared voters, who represent approximately 43% of likely GOP primary voters, will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the primary.
New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary is slated to be held on January 23, putting the spotlight on the state as an important testing ground for the candidates’ viability. Notably, the poll highlights a rise in the number of likely Republican voters who claim their vote is locked in, indicating a growing certainty among the electorate.
Among the contenders, Christie faces the greatest challenge, as many likely Republican primary voters have expressed an unwillingness to support him. On the other hand, Trump enjoys a favorable perception among primary voters, with a majority believing that he has the best chance of winning the general election.
In terms of policy positions, decision-making abilities, and physical and mental fitness, likely GOP primary voters rate Trump positively. The economy and jobs remain the top issues guiding the primary vote, underscoring the voters’ concerns amid the ongoing pandemic recovery.
When asked about the Israeli-Hamas conflict, half of likely GOP primary voters trust Trump the most to handle the situation. Additionally, a majority of prospective GOP primary voters support a ban on refugees from Gaza entering the United States.
In the recent Republican presidential debate, Haley and Ramaswamy were perceived as performing exceptionally well, according to likely primary voters. Furthermore, the majority of voters express a keen interest in future GOP primary debates, demonstrating a desire for more opportunities to evaluate the candidates.
It is worth noting that retail politics, characterized by direct interactions between candidates and voters, have not seen significant participation from New Hampshire voters.
The survey, conducted online, had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points, lending credibility to the results and indicators of candidate support. As the primary date draws nearer, the race in New Hampshire will undoubtedly intensify, with candidates vying for every last undecided vote in this critical battleground state.
