Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, has taken a significant step towards a potential rematch with Democrat Joe Biden after clinching a decisive victory in the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire on Tuesday.
As the polling stations closed, US media swiftly declared Trump as the clear winner over his Republican opponent Nikki Haley, dealing a substantial blow to her campaign. While the final results are pending, early projections indicate Trump holding a double-digit lead with about half of the votes tallied.
This triumph follows Trump's strong performance in the Iowa caucuses last week, solidifying his position as the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination leading up to the general election in November.
Trump's back-to-back victories in the initial two contests mark a historical feat, with no previous presidential candidate achieving this without subsequently becoming their party's nominee. New Hampshire was considered Haley's last opportunity to challenge Trump's dominant lead, but despite her defeat, she expressed determination to persist in her campaign.
In a speech on Tuesday night, Haley asserted, "This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go." She acknowledged the distance remaining but emphasized her upward trajectory in the polls.
Although recognizing her loss in the New Hampshire primary, Haley took aim at Trump's fitness for office and his viability against Biden. She remarked, "With Donald Trump, Republicans have lost almost every competitive election," and suggested that Democrats eagerly anticipate facing Trump in the general election.
Trump responded with a spirited speech at his campaign headquarters in Nashua, New Hampshire, accusing Haley of claiming victory despite her defeat. He questioned, "Who the hell was the impostor who went up on the stage before and claimed a victory?"
While the focus was on the Republican primary results, President Biden secured a resounding victory in the Democratic primary race, despite not appearing on the ballot. A scheduling conflict led to Biden's absence from the New Hampshire contest, but his supporters successfully encouraged voters to write his name on the ballot.
Biden surpassed two distant Democratic challengers, Representative Dean Phillips and author Marianne Williamson. The state's Democratic Party chair, Raymond Buckley, emphasized strong voter turnout and support for the Biden-Harris Administration's achievements.
Biden's victory also withstood a "deepfake" robocall targeting Democratic residents, discouraging them from participating in the primary. Biden's campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, shifted attention to Trump after the results were announced, stating, "Tonight’s results confirm Donald Trump has all but locked up the GOP nomination."
She dismissed Haley's prospects, asserting that Trump is now set for a general election showdown against the only person to have beaten him at the ballot box: Joe Biden. Political science professor Andrew Smith noted that the margin of victory in both primaries was in line with expectations as the candidates head into the next phase of the election.
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