Primary roundup: Haley says N.H. decides her fate while Trump holds onto lead in polls

Jan. 17—ROCHESTER — Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said Wednesday night her political future was the in the hands of New Hampshire primary voters, while fresh polls showed former President Donald Trump maintaining a commanding lead.

Earlier in the day at a town hall forum in Hampton, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis accused Haley of being too beholden to her corporate donors.

He warned she would compromise conservative principles on issues ranging from school choice and cutting taxes to immigration and public health threats beyond COVID-19.

Later in the day, DeSantis decamped to South Carolina, all but abandoning his New Hampshire campaign.

Haley began her campaign's closing argument with a new ad entitled, "Watching," from her super PAC, Save America Inc., starring her biggest New Hampshire booster, Gov. Chris Sununu.

"All eyes are on New Hampshire. There are now only two candidates who can win, one is surrounded by chaos and drama; that's the Donald Trump we all know," Sununu began in the 30-second spot.

"The other is honest and hopeful; that's Nikki Haley. She campaigned the New Hampshire way and now we have a chance to reset the election for our entire country.

"Nikki is the only one who can beat Donald Trump to move the country forget. Join me Tuesday in voting for Nikki Haley and let's make history."

But Trump held a 50% to 36% lead over Haley in the latest tracking poll from Suffolk University for NBC-TV 10 and the Boston Globe. DeSantis had 5% in the poll and the other 9% were undecided.

The poll included a high percentage of independents (47%), which ordinarily would benefit Haley: In most polls of independents, Haley beats Trump, while among Republicans, she loses badly.

Trump held his own MAGA rally in Portsmouth and again attacked Haley as a supporter of "radical left Democrats."

"If you want a nominee who is endorsed by all the RINOs (Republicans In Name Only), globalists, Never Trumpers, and crooked Joe Biden's biggest donors, then Nikki Haley is your candidate," Trump said in prepared remarks.

"If you want to defeat the radical left Democrats and save America you must vote for President Donald J. Trump."

Haley pushed back against Trump, who has said she was "too soft" and not strong enough to negotiate with American adversaries such as China and Russia.

Haley's campaign released a video showing Trump praising her leadership while she was his ambassador to the United Nations and after she left that post.

"Donald Trump had lots of nice things to say when I stared down Russia, China, Iran and North Korea at the UN and stood up for America," Haley said on X. "Now he sees me as a threat and he's singing a different tune."

Haley picked up the support of the Independent Firearm Owners Association. Its president, former National Rifle Association lobbyist Richard Feldman, said Trump can't be trusted to protect Second Amendment rights.

"While on occasion he has sought the votes of firearms owners, he has elsewhere made it painfully clear that he will 'terminate all rules, regulations and articles, even those found in the Constitution' to have his way on any issue," Feldman said.

During an interview, Feldman said he has a board of advisors but he "called the shot" for the group to back Haley.

"She's been a faithful supporter of the Second Amendment as governor while over the years Donald Trump has said some things that should make every gun owner question if he'll have their back," Feldman said.

The NRA backed Trump for president in both 2016 and 2020.

Trump's legal status

Trump returned to New Hampshire after spending part of the day at a civil trial in New York where a jury will decide what damages he owes for making comments after a female writer accused him of sexually abusing her during the 1990s.

A judge admonished Trump Wednesday for speaking while the woman, E. Jean Carroll, was on the stand. Trump has called the case "election interference" and claimed he never met the woman.

Trump got some good news Wednesday when a Maine superior court judge stayed the decision of Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, that Trump should not be on that state's primary ballot in March.

The judge said it would be "imprudent" to rule on the matter until the U.S. Supreme Court decided a similar ruling from the Colorado Supreme Court that Trump should be ineligible to run because he encouraged the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

"This is a correct action," said Steve Cheung, Trump's campaign spokesman, "and we remain steadfast in our opposition to these bad-faith shams.

"President Trump is confident that we will ultimately prevail with a fair ruling on the issues in front of the Supreme Court."

Debate canceled

As expected, CNN followed ABC News and WMUR in canceling their televised debates in New Hampshire after Haley refused to take part unless Trump would.

CNN did give Haley two hours of prime-time coverage for a televised town hall forum Thursday night; DeSantis had his own CNN forum last Tuesday the night after he finished a distant second in the Iowa caucus.

DeSantis said he's the only major candidate not waging a "basement campaign" and suggested as the eventual nominee there may not be any further presidential debates.

"What are the chances that Joe Biden would debate me? Probably zero, he's not going to want to confront me," DeSantis said.

DeSantis said Haley relied on registered Democrats to finish third in Iowa; only independents and Republicans can vote in New Hampshire's GOP primary next Tuesday.

"That is not someone who is going to win a Republican nomination, much less against Donald Trump," DeSantis said.

klandrigan@unionleader.com