Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has seen a significant surge in support in New Hampshire, doubling her numbers, according to the latest survey from the Saint Anselm College Survey Center (SACSC) at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIOP). Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump maintains a substantial lead among Republican primary candidates, securing 44 percent support—a margin described as “significant” by the survey.
Consistent with trends observed in other polls, Trump continues to dominate in New Hampshire, with Haley securing the second position, trailing by 14 points with 30 percent support. Notably, this represents positive growth for Haley, as she has doubled her support since the September survey, rising from 15 percent to 30 percent. This uptick aligns with the recent endorsement she received from New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu (R) over other GOP contenders.
Commenting on the findings, Neil Levesque, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, noted, “After earning the key endorsement of New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, former Ambassador Nikki Haley has broken away from the pack pursuing former President Donald Trump and become the clear alternative.”
Despite narrowing Trump’s lead, Haley still trails, with Trump’s support remaining steady in the mid-40s. The survey suggests that Trump’s supporters remain steadfast despite ongoing legal challenges faced by the former president.
In the same poll, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie secures the third position with 12 percent support in the Granite State. On the other hand, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has seen a decline, dropping to just six percent support in this early primary state.
She’s gaining: new @SaintAnselmPoll shows @NikkiHaley closing the gap on former president Donald Trump in New Hampshire. She’s doubled her support since the last poll while Trump is holding steady. #FITN #NHPolitics #WMUR pic.twitter.com/Iwgo6LtIE4
— Adam Sexton (@AdamSextonWMUR) December 20, 2023
Conducted on December 18-19, the survey involved 1,711 likely New Hampshire voters, with GOP primary questions having a margin of error of +/- 3 percent. Notably, this survey coincides with Nikki Haley’s assertion that Donald Trump is becoming “nervous,” a claim supported by the release of an attack ad from the pro-Trump Super PAC MAGA Inc.
Two days ago, Donald Trump denied our surge in New Hampshire existed.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) December 19, 2023
Now, he’s running a negative ad against me.
Someone’s getting nervous. #BringIt
As of Wednesday, the RealClearPolitics (RCP) average of polls indicates that Nikki Haley is trailing Donald Trump by a margin of 23 points in the Granite State.
