In a significant development within the 2024 US Presidential race, former President Donald Trump has clinched the final delegate from New Hampshire, consolidating his lead over former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley with a 13-9 delegate advantage in the Granite State.

The latest move underscores Donald Trump's enduring sway and popularity among voters in New Hampshire, reaffirming his dominance in the state's political landscape. As per reports from various US media outlets, Trump's consistent lead over Haley demonstrates his strong support base within the Republican Party.

The Associated Press, responsible for allocating the remaining delegate, took into account the recent voting outcomes from the January 23 primary, adhering to New Hampshire's unique rules for Republican delegate distribution. Unlike the Democratic primaries, where a standardized allocation process is followed nationwide, Republican delegate rules vary from state to state, adding layers of complexity to the nomination process.

According to AP, New Hampshire's 22 Republican delegates are apportioned based on the proportion of votes each candidate garners in the statewide primary. For instance, if a candidate secures 50% of the primary vote, they would receive half of the available delegates, equating to 11 delegates. However, candidates must surpass a minimum threshold of 10% of the primary vote to qualify for any delegates under the state's regulations.

In the New Hampshire primary, only two candidates surpassed this threshold. Trump emerged as the frontrunner with just over 54% of the vote, while Haley secured slightly over 43%.

AP highlighted the unique method employed in New Hampshire for delegate allocation, where vote percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number before multiplication. Following this process, Trump's rounded percentage amounted to 54% and Haley's to 43%. These whole percentages were then multiplied by the total number of Republican delegates at stake, resulting in an initial count of 12 delegates for Trump and 9 for Haley, out of a total of 22.

Traditionally, any remaining unallocated delegates are awarded to the candidate with the highest vote count, commonly referred to as a "winner's bonus." Applying this convention, Trump secured a final delegate, bringing the conclusive allocation in New Hampshire to 13 for Trump and 9 for Haley.

To secure the Republican presidential nomination, a candidate must obtain a majority of delegate votes, specifically 1,215, at the upcoming Republican National Convention scheduled for the summer in Milwaukee.

With the outcomes in Iowa and New Hampshire now accounted for, Trump maintains a lead over Haley in the overall delegate count, with 33 delegates compared to Haley's 17. As the race progresses, both candidates are expected to intensify their campaigns in pursuit of securing the nomination.

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