Former President Trump is dominating the polls in all early voting states, putting him more than 30 points ahead of his closest competitor, according to new polling.
Trump, who solidified his standing as the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination after winning the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses Monday night, now has his sights set on New Hampshire.
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Trump traveled to the Granite State this week after his Iowa victory in which he dominated his GOP opponents by winning 98 of 99 counties. He ultimately collected 20 delegates in the state.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis came in second place in Iowa, and Haley came in third. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy came in fourth place and dropped out later in the night, announcing his full endorsement and support for Trump.
Former President Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, takes the stage at a caucus night party in Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday. (AP/Andrew Harnik)
As caucus day approached, it was anticipated that Trump, who has a commanding lead over his opponents in all primary polling across the nation, would dominate in Iowa.
While Trump is ahead by double-digits in New Hampshire, some recent polling shows Trump and Haley neck and neck. Independents can vote in the Republican primary in the state, which could be beneficial to Haley, who some have cast as a more moderate Republican option.
Moderate voters in the Granite State are highly influential, and the state’s independents – who can vote in either major party primary – have long played a crucial role in New Hampshire’s storied presidential contest.
The poll from American Research Group Inc. released Tuesday shows Trump and Haley tied at 40% among the state’s likely Republican primary voters.
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But another New Hampshire poll released Wednesday by Suffolk University, the Boston Globe and NBC10 in Boston shows Trump with 50% support among those likely to vote in the primary. Haley in that poll stands at 34% support with DeSantis at just 5%. Six percent said they are undecided and 3% are backing another candidate.
The new poll shows Trump with a massive 61%-34% lead over Haley among registered Republicans, with Haley topping Trump 44%-38% among independents.
Former U.N. Ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a Republican presidential candidate, speaks during a campaign event at Jethro’s BBQ in Ames, Iowa, on Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
While the former president holds a commanding 67%-18% lead over his former U.N. ambassador among self-described conservatives, Haley leads 56%-27% among those who consider themselves moderate or liberal.
According to the RealClearPolitics Average between Jan. 3 and Jan. 10, Trump stood at 43.5% and Haley at 29.4%. Next was former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has since dropped out of the race, with 11.3%. That poll puts DeSantis at 6.5%.
But beyond New Hampshire, Trump holds an even stronger lead.
In Nevada, which holds its primary contests in early February, Trump sits at 69%, which is 58.5 points ahead of DeSantis, who has 10.5% of the vote, according to the RealClearPolitics Average from Sept. 29 through Jan. 8.
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And in Haley’s home state of South Carolina, which votes on Feb. 24, Trump is up 30.2 points at 52%, with Haley in second place at 21.8% and DeSantis polling at 11%, according to that RealClearPolitics Average from Oct. 18 through Jan. 3.
But as Trump holds his massive lead and likely begins collecting the majority of delegates in the early voting states, which brings him closer to the number needed to secure the GOP nomination, he will also need to divert his attention from the campaign trail and into courtrooms in several jurisdictions.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, takes the microphone after being introduced at an event in West Des Moines, Iowa, on Jan. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivai)
This week, Trump is in court in New York City for the civil defamation damages trial stemming from E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit that alleges he sexually attacked her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and told Fox News Digital he has “absolutely no idea who this woman is.” Trump is expected to testify in his own defense.
That appearance in court came a day after he won the Iowa caucuses and just days after closing arguments were delivered in the non-jury civil trial that stems from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against him, his family and his businesses.
James sued Trump, his family and his business empire, claiming he inflated his financial statements and deceived banks. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
The former president has repeatedly said his assets were actually undervalued and his financial statements had disclaimers that requested the numbers be evaluated by the banks.
A decision is expected in the coming weeks.
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Meanwhile, Special Counsel Jack Smith’s election interference trial is set to begin on March 4, the day before the March 5 Super Tuesday primary contests in which Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Vermont vote to select a GOP nominee.
Donald Trump arrives at a campaign event at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, on Jan. 14, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
That has been put on pause due to a review by an appeals court, and possibly the U.S. Supreme Court, on Trump’s argument of presidential immunity. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Next on the calendar is the trial prompted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s yearslong investigation related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges.
That trial is set to begin in New York City on March 25. However, Bragg said he would be flexible on that date, pending the decision on trial timing in Smith’s Jan. 6 case.
If it does begin on March 25, court proceedings are to take place just after the Louisiana primary and ahead of April 2, which is when Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Rhode Island and Wisconsin voters hit the polls to select a GOP nominee.
Then, Smith’s classified documents trial is set to begin on May 20, ahead of the Kentucky primary on May 21, the Oregon primary on May 25 and New Jersey’s primary on June 4.
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Should Trump solidify his lead in the GOP nomination, he would spend July 15-18 at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. But Georgia’s Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has proposed that Trump’s trial in his election interference case begin just weeks later.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges in all cases.
Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
