As the Republican presidential nomination race narrows down to a head-to-head contest, former President Donald Trump emerges as the clear frontrunner among New Hampshire voters, surpassing his sole remaining rival, Nikki Haley.
According to The Washington Post polls, Donald Trump commands a significant lead with 52% support, while former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley trails at 34% in the Presidential race.
The latest CNN/UNH poll shows a notable increase in support for both Mr Trump and Ms Haley compared to early January figures. In the earlier poll, Mr Trump held 39% support, and Ms Haley stood at 32%. The consolidation of the field, with major contenders quitting the race, has fueled the rise in support for both candidates. Despite Nikki Haley's considerable gains since late summer, Mr Trump maintains a formidable lead, widening the gap to a double-digit margin.
In the latest poll, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had 8 per cent support, but this was before he unexpectedly suspended his campaign. Nikki Haley's support almost doubled from 18 per cent in November, possibly benefiting from Chris Christie's withdrawal. Donald Trump might have gained momentum from Vivek Ramaswamy's endorsement and could get more support with Mr DeSantis leaving, who endorsed Mr Trump.
Donald Trump maintains strong support from conservative Republicans, while Nikki Haley is focusing on winning over moderate and independent voters for the GOP primary. New Hampshire is seen as Mr Haley's best opportunity to slow down Mr Trump's momentum. She is banking on a significant turnout of independent voters to boost her chances against Mr Trump. However, there is little evidence so far to indicate a substantial shift in support since her third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses.
With just a few days until the primary, around 1 in 5 likely Republican voters haven't decided on their choice. Among this group, most lean towards supporting Ms Haley (51%), followed by 28% for Mr Trump and 14% for Mr DeSantis. However, with the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary seemingly leaning in favour of Mr Trump, the outcome on Tuesday will likely solidify his position as the dominant force in the GOP nomination race for the 2024 elections.
