Ron DeSantis ended his presidential campaign on Sunday the 21st of January and Nikki Haley, former US Ambassador to the UN, will go toe-to-toe with Donald Trump to try to become the Republican presidential candidate in the US elections, reports the BBC.
Shortly after the news about DeSantis broke, Nikki sent out fundraising emails saying there were 14 candidates at the start of the campaign, but “today it is officially a two-man race between me and Donald Trump,” the BBC quotes her as saying.
After Donald Trump’s remarkable victory in Iowa, another presidential contender, Vivek Ramaswamy, also withdrew from the race and voiced his support for Trump. Now that DeSantis has also withdrawn from the race, expressing his support for Trump,
the former President is gaining even more support.
The BBC cites a CNN and University of New Hampshire poll which reveals unpleasant figures for Nikki Haley, as 62% of Ron DeSantis supporters in that state named Donald Trump as their second choice, while only 30% chose Haley.
Despite the fact that she is focusing particularly on New Hampshire, with the aim of building momentum for the campaign, these statistics show that Trump remains very popular among DeSantis supporters.
Haley’s strategy of targeting New Hampshire seems promising on paper. This state allows independent voters and party members to participate, potentially attracting moderate voters who oppose Trump’s conservative views.
New Hampshire also has a higher proportion of college graduates – 37% – which Haley is focusing on, and her support as the obvious alternative to Trump has also increased in the state over the last month.
Haley’s campaign has been described as a throwback to the pre-Trump era of the Republican Party.
She has refrained from insults and conspiracy theories, opting for a moderate approach. Notably, she supports the continuation of US funding for Ukraine, reflecting a position that is different from Trump’s conservative rhetoric.
According to the BBC, Haley faces a significant challenge in New Hampshire, where her more moderate approach and opposition to Trump may not secure victory.
If she fails to defeat Trump in Tuesday’s race in New Hampshire, her chances of success in other states, even her home state of South Carolina, look grim.
Also read: Europe must prepare to walk alone, if Trump returns
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