(Image source from: Reuters.com)
Big Win For Donald Trump In Presidential Run-Up:- Tuesday's New Hampshire primary marked a significant victory for Donald Trump, bringing him one step closer to securing the Republican presidential nomination and setting the stage for a highly anticipated rematch with Joe Biden in the White House. Although the final results were still being tallied, it remained uncertain whether Trump's triumph was decisive enough to eliminate his only remaining challenger, Nikki Haley, from the race. Addressing his supporters after the vote, Haley, who served as the United Nations ambassador during Trump's tumultuous presidency, emphasized that the competition was far from over and warned that the Democrats were eager to face her former boss in the general election.
The 52-year-old politician cautioned that her opponents recognized Trump as the only Republican candidate that Biden could defeat. Despite Haley's hopes for a major upset, early projections from US broadcasters quickly confirmed her defeat. Trump, who faced two impeachments as president and currently confronts four criminal trials since leaving office, had already established a commanding lead in national Republican polls. Despite Haley's repeated questioning of his mental fitness and her warnings of potential chaos under another Trump administration, her efforts in New Hampshire appeared to have little impact, merely creating a minor obstacle in Trump's path.
According to a former member of Trump's transition team and seasoned campaigner, New Hampshire proved to be more favorable towards Haley compared to the upcoming states she will face. Winning or having a close loss in New Hampshire is crucial for her campaign, as the road ahead will only get tougher. Her next important stop will be her home state of South Carolina. In the previous Republican contest in Iowa, Trump emerged as the clear winner, leaving Haley in a distant third place. The field of 14 candidates has now narrowed down to a head-to-head competition after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dropped out following his second-place finish in Iowa.
Historically, no Republican candidate has won both opening contests without ultimately securing the party's nomination. Trump did not invest much effort in campaigning in New Hampshire, but his message, which combines personal grievances and right-wing culture wars, has given him a significant lead in the polls that seems difficult to overcome. One of Trump's complaints has been his false accusation that Democrats are allowed to vote in the Republican contest in New Hampshire. However, independents are indeed allowed to vote, and Haley had hoped that they would reject Trump and see her as the moderate alternative. A majority of Americans are not in favor of witnessing a second encounter between Trump and Biden.
