by Mary Lou Masters
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley jumped to second place behind former President Donald Trump in the first-in-the-nation primary state of New Hampshire, according to a Wednesday poll.
Haley garnered 19% support among likely Republican primary voters in the state, following Trump’s lead at 49%, according to a Suffolk University/Boston Globe/USA Today survey. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis came in third with 10% ahead of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at 6%, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and conservative businessman Vivek Ramaswamy both garnered 4% support.
Former Vice President Mike Pence and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum received 1% each, and all other 2024 GOP hopefuls garnered less than 1% support, according to the survey.
“Nikki Haley told New Hampshire she would earn every vote—and that’s what she is doing,” Ken Farnaso, spokesperson for Haley, told the Daily Caller News Foundation in a statement. “Nikki has already held more than 50 grassroots events in the Granite State, and she is coming back next week. Our momentum continues to build and we’re just getting started.”
DeSantis’ campaign referred the DCNF to the recently announced third quarter fundraising totals as an indication of the governor’s support.
“We have the strongest early state infrastructure of any campaign, and we just posted an impressive $15 million fundraising quarter that shows we are in this race to win,” Bryan Griffin, press secretary for the campaign, told the DCNF in a statement. “Nobody will outwork Ron DeSantis in New Hampshire, and we look forward to being back in the Granite State for multiple visits this month. We are confident that, as people now start to pay attention to this race, Ron DeSantis will be the candidate voters choose to lead the American revival.”
Haley’s campaign also pointed the DCNF toward another key early state poll released Wednesday upon request for comment. In South Carolina, Haley garnered 16.6% support behind Trump at 50.5%, followed by DeSantis with 12.1% among GOP primary voters, according to a Winthrop University survey.
The Suffolk University/Boston Globe/USA Today survey polled 500 likely GOP primary voters between Sept. 28 and Oct. 2, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 points.
The RealClearPolitics average for a 2024 national Republican primary, based on polls conducted between Sept. 15 and Oct. 3, indicates Trump is leading the field by over 40 points, followed by DeSantis with 14.5%, Haley with 7.4%, Ramaswamy with 5.3% and Pence with 3.8%. All other candidates garnered less than 3% support.
Trump did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s requests for comment.
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Mary Lou Masters is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Nikki Haley” by Nikki Haley.
