DES MOINES, Iowa — Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley got a lot of help this week in her steep climb to draw political blood from former President Donald Trump in New Hampshire’s first primary.
With former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie dropping out of the race today, Haley’s team is racing to rally its anti-Trump base behind the former ambassador to the United Nations ahead of the Jan. 23 contest.
“It’s been clear for a while that this is a two-person race between Nikki Haley’s vision for a strong and proud America and Donald Trump’s obsession with the chaos and drama of the past,” Haley spokeswoman AnnMarie Graham-Barnes told The Post.
“He doesn’t take any voter for granted, and he doesn’t take his stride.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis begs to differ and hopes to undercut Haley’s gamble in New Hampshire with a strong showing in Monday’s Iowa caucuses.
But of the two non-Trump primary candidates, Haley’s outlook is brighter — at least for now.
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley got a lot of help this week against former President Donald Trump in New Hampshire’s first primary. AFP via Getty Images
Christie’s withdrawal follows weeks in which Haley’s allies have sought to push her out of the race on the grounds that her departure would further her mission to unseat Trump.
Polling data has long shown that a large portion of Christie’s New Hampshire voters approve of Haley. For example, a recent Emerson College Polling/WHDH poll concluded that 52% of Granite State Christie voters had Haley as their second choice.
Right now, however, that was still very insufficient for him to close the gap.
Trump averaged 43.5% support in New Hampshire, followed by Haley at 29.3%, and Christie at 11.3%, according to the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate.
Even if all of Christie’s voters split for Haley — if by a large margin — she would still drop based on the RCP average.
“Imagination can drive people crazy,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told The Post when asked about the prospect of Christie dropping out, putting Haley on top.
Water is not under the bridge
Christie seems to share Cheung’s view, at least if his comments on the hot mic before his dropout announcement are any guide.
“He would smoke,” Christie said Wednesday. “And you and I both know. He is not willing to do this.”
Christie has made similar comments publicly as well, telling “The View” last week: “How insulting to my voters that you would think that they would immediately just walk toward Nikki Haley, even though Nikki Haley has called Donald Trump the president that right for the right time.”
Trump averaged 43.5% support in New Hampshire, followed by Haley at 29.3%, and Christie at 11.3%, according to the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate. AP
In addition, before Christie was unseated, he and DeSantis blasted Haley for a series of missteps on the campaign trail, including refusing to say slavery was the root cause of the Civil War.
Christie has the highest negative ratings of any Republican candidate in most polls, largely due to his vocal criticism of Trump.
Although the Garden Stater has declined to make an endorsement, publicly endorsing Haley could expose her to her baggage — if she wants that endorsement.
Why New Hampshire matters
If Haley can prove her viability with a strong showing in the Granite State, the thinking goes, voters may start paying more attention to her in subsequent contests.
Complicating matters is the fact that New Hampshire allows unaffiliated voters to choose which primary they want to participate in, which could give a false impression of Haley’s support among registered Republicans in other so-called “closed” primary states.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hopes to undermine Haley with a strong showing in Monday’s Iowa caucuses. REUTERS DeSantis at the CNN Republican presidential debate with Haley at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, on January 10, 2024. AP
After New Hampshire, Haley has chosen to run in the Nevada primary instead of the state party-run caucus in Nevada, where the actual delegates will be handed out.
Then, Haley’s home state of South Carolina, where she trails Trump by more than 30 points in recent polls, will hold its primary on February 24.
Trump supporters are committed
“Among New Hampshire Republican primary voters, Chris Christie is radioactive. If his withdrawal is meant to help Nikki Haley, it will make it a key battle between Trump’s conservatives and Haley’s D.C. establishment base,” the Trump campaign said in a memo following Christie’s exit from the race.
The memo reflects a consistent dynamic on the campaign trail: While other candidates’ events attract a mix of dedicated fans and uncommitted window shoppers, Trump supporters lock in and support their man.
“It’s been clear for a while that this is a two-person race between Nikki Haley’s vision for a strong and proud America and Donald Trump’s obsession with the chaos and drama of the past,” Haley spokeswoman AnnMarie Graham-Barnes told The Post. Getty Images
At a recent Trump event in Iowa, attendee Jill Rowell mocked shock at the mention of Haley’s name.
“Nikki Haley is funded by ‘Demoncrats.’ They funded his campaign,” he told The Post.
“He pretty much embarrassed Iowa last week when he said New Hampshire was going to fix our results,” agreed Dan Heffernen.
“I’m not sure why he said that,” he added in disbelief.
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