Looking for Upset : NH Primary — Trumpism v/s TrumpHaleyism
Former President Trump in his re-election bid has been leading miles away from any of his party’s candidates and to some extent seen leading in polls from his anticipated 2024 presidential election rival candidate President Biden. His focus has been on applying multi-prong schemes, rallying the country, on law and order, economic growth, immigration and MAGA ( Make America First Again) model. However, he is facing investigation challenges, and a number of past controversies around his policies and actions. Overall, it is summing up to be an interesting election year. While President Biden seems to have secured his candidacy for 2024 unopposed.
2024 Republican Primary has now been burgeoning between Donald Trump and his former surrogate Nikki Haley. While Trump has been defacto-leading his way by extraordinary margins, Nikki Haley is seen gaining momentum. After 3rd place finish in Iowa, her focus has primarily shifted to NH where she hopes to upset Trump’s re-election bid in this now two person race.
The Current State of the Republican Party
The Republican Party definitely has challenging days ahead, the party which started its transformation from Conservatism to Trumpism in the four years of Donald Trump’s Presidency, struggles to find a new voice during Biden presidency. The events of January 6th 2020, day of the insurrection of the US capitol and many other court battles which former President now candidate Donald Trump has been facing does not seem to rattle his core base. The party may be unpopular among the people, with barely controlling a disfunctional house, still not able to distance itself from Trumpism. The move has not been easy for its established leaders who could not risk distancing themselves from the base which still are hardened supporters of President Trump.
Rise of Candidate Nikki Haley
Nikki Haley who has been thought in inner circle as the emergent leader who can unite the party as well as be accepted by the Trump base is still trying her best to become the formidable candidate against her former boss, the former UN Ambassador and former Gov. of South Carolina, a traditionally conservative state, is the only alternative left now with Gov. Ron DeSantis dropping out of the race and endorsing Trump.
Nikki like Kamala is of India origin, she has been revered in the party as a hardcore conservative and in past has been liked by President Trump and his base. She at times has softly criticized Trump policies, she left the Trump administration on good terms and still managed to stay close to Trump without showcasing herself as blind surrogate. She has echoed some of the same arguments Trump has made on national topics such as canceling culture, defunding police forces and statue removal, although the tone and frequency between Trump and Haley vary dramatically. In 2024 NH primary if she can come marginally close or beat Trump, she can gain momentum and set a tone for a chance to be Trump’s alternative.
All eyes are set on Jan 23rd 2024 NH primary, while for Trump winning or losing NH may hardly put any dent to his candidacy, for Nikki it would increase her chances to stay in the race for the due course. All in all, NH primary appears to be a turning point which political pundits have been hoping for.
