This marks a strategic step forward in his political journey.
In the recent New Hampshire primary, former President Donald Trump secured a significant victory, marking his second state-level win as he pursues the Republican Party’s presidential nomination. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner around 8 p.m. Eastern, with just under 20% of the vote tallied, showing Trump with 54.3% support, while former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley trailed with 44.7%.
In contrast, the Democratic primary lacked President Joe Biden on the ballot due to party disputes regarding the scheduling of the New Hampshire primary in relation to South Carolina’s state race. Despite voters having to write in Biden’s name, the AP called the race for the incumbent president with less than 30% of the vote counted.
During his Tuesday evening speech, Trump labeled Haley an “imposter” for acting as though she had won the race and criticized Biden, stating that he was “crooked” and mentally incapable of “putting two sentences together.” Trump expressed confidence in the upcoming elections, vowing to lead the country to a turnaround.
Following the race’s announcement in Trump’s favor, Haley congratulated him but emphasized that the competition was far from over, highlighting the numerous states still in play. Despite facing challenges, Haley’s campaign remained resilient, with campaign manager Betsy Ankney asserting that, regardless of the New Hampshire outcome, Haley wouldn’t concede. Ankney argued that a significant portion of Republican voters sought an alternative to Trump, and the campaign maintained optimism about Haley’s prospects in the South Carolina primary on Feb. 24.
Ankney underscored Haley’s strong conservative record and the belief that she is the last hope to steer the party and the country back on track. The memo addressed the prevailing sentiment that a substantial portion of the country desired options beyond Trump and Biden.
Reflecting on previous results, Trump had previously won the Iowa caucus, securing 51% of the vote. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Haley trailed with 21% and 19% of the vote, respectively. Following these results, both Ramaswamy and DeSantis suspended their campaigns, with DeSantis endorsing Trump and expressing opposition to Haley, characterizing her as representative of the old Republican guard. The political landscape continues to evolve, setting the stage for a dynamic and competitive race within the Republican Party.
