Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is sharpening her attacks on former President Trump in the hours after his victory in New Hampshire, seeking to drum up enough support to stay in the race until the next primary in a month.
While Haley won some delegates in Tuesday’s Granite State contest that her campaign will lean into to justify staying the course, Trump’s 11 percentage-point victory and cruising lead in polls for upcoming states pose a huge challenge.
Campaigning for the next states began before full results rolled in Tuesday night in New Hampshire, with Haley touting her showing on stage to supporters before Trump’s margin of victory expanded throughout the night.
Haley called on both major political parties to move past their leading “80-year-old candidate” and played down the results as only from one state.
A visibly irked Trump unleashed on stage later in the night.
“You can’t let people get away with bull—-,” Trump said in a speech, mocking Haley for staying in the race as allies on stage touted his lead and laughed at attacks against his last remaining GOP rival. “When I watched her in the fancy dress … I said, ‘What’s she doing?’ We won,” Trump said.
“Let’s not have somebody take a victory when she had a very bad night.”
Haley campaign spokesperson Nachama Soloveichik said Wednesday that Trump “reminded voters that they have a choice between two diametrically opposed visions: Make America Unhinged Again or Make America Normal Again.”
Her campaign has projected optimism despite tall hurdles ahead, especially for South Carolina’s Feb. 24 primary. In a memo Tuesday, Haley’s campaign said: “South Carolina elected Nikki as Governor twice, against the odds.”
Keep in mind: Voters in South Carolina don’t register with a political party, and all voters can choose which primary to participate in. Those planning to vote in the GOP primary must be registered by Thursday, Jan. 25.
A CNN exit poll from Tuesday showed 70 percent of Haley’s supporters in New Hampshire were independents. Registered independents and Republicans were able to participate in the Tuesday GOP primary.
Key data points:
- Current delegate count: Trump 32, Haley 17
- Delegates needed for nomination: 1,215
