Trump's GOP rivals chase him in 2024 NH primary. Voters skeptical of the odds.

EXETER, N.H. – Voters in New Hampshire and beyond agree on at least one thing: There sure are a lot of Republican candidates running against Donald Trump – and none of them seem to be catching up.

"It's interesting that so many have chosen to run against Trump," said New Hampshire Republican Party volunteer Jennifer LePla after hearing Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley address a candidate summit in Nashua.

LePla, 55, a Sandwich resident who is staying neutral in the presidential race, said she sees how candidates are working hard to try and be competitive with Trump.

"Clearly, it's going to be challenging," she said, but added that anything can happen in the historic "first-in-the-nation" primary.

"It's New Hampshire."

Is the NH primary a 'wide-open' race?

Less than 100 days from the Iowa caucuses that trigger the nomination process, non-Trump candidates are pursuing various campaign and media strategies designed to cut into Trump's massive poll lead in early contest states.

Their common goal: Get in the game with Trump.

“New Hampshire is so wide open,” DeSantis told reporters as the Florida governor filed Thursday to run in the New Hampshire primary expected to be held in January.

Voters said the challengers have no choice but to go straight at Trump, even at the risk of alienating many Trump voters. Yet they are also skeptical about whether they can succeed, even with Trump's many legal problems and abrasive campaign style.

"I don't know if there is anything they can do, which is extremely sad," said Tom Harvell, 52, of Exeter, a self-described independent voter who is middle-of-the-road.

Harvell, who saw former South Carolina governor Haley at a USA TODAY Network town hall in Exeter, said "so many people are entranced with (Trump) ... For the love of God, I can't figure out why."

In addition to DeSantis and Haley, the Republican candidates trying to figure it out include former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Among their efforts:

DeSantis hits the mainstream media

DeSantis, who had focused more on conservative media, is now appearing on more mainstream outlets – and seeking a comeback.

Once seen as the top Republican alternative to Trump - a candidate who was in a fairly strong second place in many polls – DeSantis has slid back to the rest of the pack amid a steady barrage of attacks from the former president and his allies.

In his new campaign phase, DeSantis is also amplifying his record in Florida and policy differences with Trump that include border security and federal spending.

He's also spending more time on Trump's indictments and other legal problems, saying they will turn off voters who would otherwise vote Republican because of President Joe Biden's record.

"A referendum on Joe Biden means we win if I'm the candidate," DeSantis said recently on MSNBC's “Morning Joe.” "I think a referendum on Donald Trump, if that's it, then I think the Democrats would win."

Nikki Haley tries to leverage debates

The former United Nations ambassador has seen upticks in fundraising and polls since attention-getting appearances in the first two Republican presidential debates.

A recent Suffolk University/Boston Globe/USA TODAY poll put Haley in second place in New Hampshire, ahead of DeSantis.

Like other competitors, Haley is also trying to establish herself as the consensus alternative to Trump. Allies are suggesting that GOP donors and candidates consolidate behind her as the best bet against Trump.

That subtle strategy paid off this week when former Rep. Will Hurd, R-Tex., dropped out of the race and endorsed Haley.

During her USA TODAY Network town hall, Haley continued to promote herself as a "new generation" of leadership, in contrast to the last Republican president.

"I think Donald Trump was the right president at the right time," Haley said. "I don’t think he’s the right president now.”

Mike Pence, a real conservative experience

Pence is increasingly critical of the president who put him on the national ticket, hitting him over support for tariffs, increased isolation in the world, criticism of Israel and a populist style at odds with traditional conservatism.

"I'm the most qualified, most experienced and most tested conservative seeking the Republican nomination," Pence said during his USA TODAY Network town hall.

Pence probably has more at stake in Iowa, which has a high number of social conservatives that are a big part of his base.

Anti-Trump Christie bets it all on New Hampshire

The former New Jersey governor has been the race's fiercest critic of Trump and probably will continue to be, especially over the four criminal trials he faces.

"If he were a convicted felon, would you support him for president of the United States," Christie said during the "First In The Nation Leadership Summit" of the New Hampshire Republican Party.

Christie also figures to continue focusing on New Hampshire, as opposed to Iowa.

He is hoping to replicate what John McCain did in 2008: A long-shot candidate whose victory in New Hampshire propelled him through the primary process onto the nomination.

Vivek Ramaswamy, revolutionary

The businessman, author, and first-time candidate has always cast himself as the outsider candidate who is taking on "the establishment," an aggressive approach that has drawn verbal fire from other candidates.

Don't expect Ramaswamy to stop any time soon.

"I do think it will take an outsider to that system coming in to break that system," Ramaswamy said during a USA TODAY Network town hall.

Scott is getting more aggressive

The South Carolina senator is being more aggressive, both toward Biden and toward other Republicans, particularly since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.

Witness his dust-up with Haley during the Sept. 27 debate in California.

Citing comments from DeSantis and Ramaswamy, Scott said, "the last thing we need is a Joe Biden wing of the Republican Party on foreign policy,” he added.

Doug Burgum's gift card

The longshot North Dakota governor is trying to make sure he can still qualify for the Republican presidential debates, an endeavor that requires higher poll numbers and more donors.

The next Republican debate is scheduled for Nov. 8 in Miami.

To that end, Burgum has revived a publicity-seeking idea from earlier in the campaign: Gift cards. The campaign is offering $20 gift cards to people who contribute as little as $1 to his campaign.

During a USA TODAY Network town hall, Burgum said of his campaign that "there's three things we're going to focus on − the economy, energy and national security."

Asa Hutchinson, door-to-door

During his USA TODAY Network town hall, a visitor asked Hutchinson about the crowded field against Trump: How do you get attention with so many other rivals?

The former Arkansas governor said it takes hard work, talking to voters every day of every week right up to the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.

Like Christie, Hutchinson has been notably critical of Trump.

Trump backers: Challengers should drop out and endorse him

Trump supporters say it doesn't matter what the other candidates do: The former president is going to win in New Hampshire and cruise to the Republican nomination.

"We have the biggest grassroots operation in the state," said Stephen Stepanek, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign in New Hampshire.

He also said there's nothing the other candidates can do about it: "Probably the best thing they can do is endorse Trump and give up."

Narrowing the field?

Voters who don't care for Trump said it wouldn't be a bad idea for some of the candidates to drop out.

Right now, they said, too many candidates are splitting the anti-Trump vote; a few GOP candidates should consider pulling a Will Hurd and get behind a single alternative.

"Narrowing it down would help," said Christy DeSisto, 57, a Massachusetts resident who crossed state lines to attend a USA TODAY Network town hall featuring Pence.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's GOP rivals chase him in NH. Voters skeptical of the odds.