Trump Closes in on Biden Rematch after New Hampshire Win
Manchester (United States) (AFP) – Donald Trump has emerged victorious in the key New Hampshire primary, bringing him closer to securing the Republican presidential nomination and setting the stage for a remarkable White House rematch with Joe Biden.
With nearly 90 percent of the votes counted, Trump maintained a winning margin of around 11 percentage points. However, his competitor Nikki Haley pledged to continue fighting.
In his victory speech, Trump launched an attack on Haley and confidently claimed that he would easily win the primary contest in her home state of South Carolina.
During his address, Trump repeated his usual warnings about immigration and continued to propagate false claims about winning the 2020 election.
In her speech, Haley insisted that the race was far from over and asserted that Democrats wanted to face Trump in the general election due to his record of causing chaos.
Haley, however, failed to create a major upset in New Hampshire, despite high hopes and strong turnout. Television networks projected her defeat early on as the initial results came in.
While Trump has faced two impeachments and multiple legal trials since leaving office, he remains the clear frontrunner in national Republican polling.
Keith Nahigian, a veteran campaigner and former member of Trump’s transition team, stated, “I think it’s a two-person race now between Trump and Biden.”
The outlook for Haley appears dim, as no Republican has ever secured the party’s nomination after winning both the opening contests.
Trump spent minimal time campaigning in New Hampshire, relying on his base and a message that resonates with his right-wing supporters.
Meanwhile, Biden won the unofficial Democratic primary in New Hampshire, providing him with symbolic momentum. The president marked the day by campaigning with Vice President Kamala Harris in Virginia, advocating for abortion rights.
As Trump, who opposes the constitutional right to abortion, continues to push for further restrictions, Biden rallied his supporters and accused the Republican of being “hell-bent” on limiting reproductive rights.