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A new CNN poll shows former President Donald Trump has extended his lead to double digits over former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for the Republican presidential nomination ahead of the New Hampshire primary scheduled for Tuesday (January 23).
Trump, 77, reportedly has support from 50% of the likely Republican New Hampshire primary voters included in the poll, 11% more than Haley's 39%. Both candidates have reportedly gained supporters since the last CNN poll conducted earlier in January when Trump had 39% of support to Haley's 32% while more candidates were still in the race.
Trump won the Iowa caucus earlier this month with 51% of votes with Haley, 52, finishing third (19.1%) behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (21.2%), who announced his concession on Sunday (January 21).
Last month, a poll released by American Research Group, Inc. reported that Haley, a former ally turned political rival who served as a U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, was reportedly favored by 29% of likely GOP voters in the state of New Hampshire. Trump still led all candidates at 33%, however, the 4% projected margin was the smallest between the former president and any other Republican candidate to date.
Haley recently gained momentum as the alternative to Trump, receiving an endorsement from the Koch-affiliated Americans for Prosperity (AFP) Action in November, who claimed she “offers America the opportunity to turn the page on the current political era, to win the Republican primary and defeat [President] Joe Biden next November.”
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon also encouraged wealthy business leaders to support Haley as a way to "get a choice on the Republican side that might be better than Trump" the day after the AFP Action endorsement.
"The more voters hear from Nikki Haley, the more they like her,” said Ashley Davis, vice chair of Winning for Women Action Fund, a Republican super PAC intended to support the election of conservative women, in a statement obtained by USA TODAY last month. “Her conservative record and positive vision are clearly resonating, and she's ridden that momentum into second place in critical early states.”