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This race is not over, declares Nikki Haley as she places second to Trump in NH
‘What a great night this is,” said the former South Carolina governor, vowing to continue her bid for the Republican Presidential nomination.
Republican Presidential candidate Nikki Haley meets with supporters Jan 23 evening after placing second in the state's primary. / X/@NikkiHaley
Republican Presidential candidate Nikki Haley placed a close second to former President Donald Trump Jan. 23, as voters in New Hampshire went to the polls.
With 75 percent of the votes counted at 11 pm Eastern Time, Haley had amassed close to 110,000 votes, 43.5 percent. Trump had picked up almost 135,000 votes, 55 percent. For much of the evening, Trump was ahead by less than 5,000 votes, but the race was declared early by The Associated Press and other media predicting his victory. Out of an initial field of 14 candidates, Haley is the sole remaining Trump contender.
Republican strategist Rina Shah told New India Abroad that Haley did not have to win New Hampshire to continue her campaign. The critical next races are Haley’s home state of South Carolina — Feb. 24 — and Super Tuesday March 5, when 16 states go the polls.
Shekar Narasimhan, founder of the AAPI Victory Fund, told New India Abroad he expects to see the Republican nomination wrapped up by March 5.
In an early concession speech, Haley congratulated Trump. In her most conciliatory tone on the campaign trail, she said: “He earned it.” But she rolled it back a moment later, stating, “With Donald Trump, Republicans have lost almost every competitive election. The worst kept secret in politics is how badly the Democrats want to run against Donald Trump. They know Trump is the only Republican in the country who Joe Biden can defeat.”
“You've heard all the chatter among the political class. They're falling all over themselves, saying this race is over. Well I have news for all of them. New Hampshire is first in the nation. It is not the last in the nation. This race is far from over.”
“I'm a fighter and I'm scrappy. And now I’m the last one standing next to Donald Trump and today we got close to half of the vote,” she said, as supporters shouted out: “You’re a great American.”
Thank you, New Hampshire! The political class wanted us to believe that this race was over before it even began. You proved them wrong, and I am so grateful. It’s time to put the negativity and chaos behind us. Our fight is not over, because we have a country to save. pic.twitter.com/DDA7VjPTjZ
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) January 24, 2024
Due to a change in the Democratic National Committee’s rules, South Carolina — not New Hampshire — is the first official primary of the Democratic presidential nominating cycle. President Joe Biden was thus not on the ballot in New Hampshire, but supporters ran a massive write-in campaign. “Our efforts to turn out the write-in vote for Biden in the New Hampshire Primary paid off! We did it,” tweeted Harini Krishnan, national organizing chair at South Asians for America.
In several polls, Haley emerges victorious by at least 8 percentage points in a match-up against Biden. A Trump-Biden rematch is almost tied, according to polls.
Undeclared voters form the largest bloc in New Hampshire. Haley polls well with Independents and was predicted to win most of their votes.
Small business owners Kavya and Sam Patel, who live in Lincoln, New Hampshire, are also undeclared, but have traditionally leaned left, voting for Democratic Presidential candidates since the early 1990s.
“Not today,” Kavya Patel told New India Abroad. “I am so proud of Nikki for coming this far in an ugly battle full of men. I will vote for Biden in the general election, but I wanted to show my support today for Nikki,” she said.
“Our daughters are very, very progressive Democrats. We are afraid to tell them how we voted. And maybe we won’t,” said Sam Patel with a laugh.
Indian Americans make up less than 1 percent of New Hampshire’s population, but Lincoln is home to one of the largest concentrations of desis in the state. About 16 percent of the city’s population is Indian American.
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