MANCHESTER, N.H. — The first-in-the-nation primary on Tuesday will give Nikki Haley and her Never Trump supporters their last, best chance to trip up Donald Trump’s march to the GOP presidential nomination.
But polls show the movement may be dealt a fatal blow or become seriously handicapped by Mr. Trump, 77, who is on track to win by a large margin in the Granite State.
After a slate of more than one dozen Republicans jumped into the GOP race last year in a bid to replace Mr. Trump on the ballot in November 2024, only former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, 51, has survived to compete with the former president in the New Hampshire primary.
Her campaign may soon run out of momentum.
The latest tracking poll from Boston-based Suffolk University showed her trailing Mr. Trump by 19 points. The poll was taken after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s campaign exit on Sunday made it a two-person race.
Ms. Haley, in a final pitch to voters at a rally Monday in Franklin, said the legally embattled former president, who is facing 91 criminal charges in addition to multiple lawsuits, would bring more “chaos.” She said the country could not survive another four years of him leading the country.
Party leaders, however, are already writing off Ms. Haley and calling for Republicans to unify behind Mr. Trump.
“Donald Trump is the presumptive nominee. I am encouraging every Republican to unite behind him because it will take all of us to defeat Joe Biden, take back the Senate, and hold the House,” Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, who is head of the Senate campaign arm, said in a statement after Mr. DeSantis dropped out.
In a bid to show party unity, Mr. Trump’s rally Monday night in Laconia included three of his former opponents: Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, biotech investor Vivek Ramaswamy and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
The growing inevitability of a Trump-Biden rematch is a bitter blow to those who hoped to replace the former president with a new GOP leader in 2024.
“America has missed its best chance to return to greatness,” Rep. Tom Massie, Kentucky Republican and Trump foe, said after Mr. DeSantis pulled the plug on his campaign.
Republicans opposed to Mr. Trump argued he will continue to divide the nation and the party and, hobbled by multiple legal battles, will lose to President Biden in November.
Polls show Mr. Trump leading Mr. Biden in general election matchups, however, including in key swing states.
Other Republicans believe Ms. Haley holds the key to stopping Mr. Trump and are hoping she can pull out a shock win on Tuesday that would propel her into the Feb. 24 South Carolina primary.
Americans for Prosperity super PAC, which is backed by the Koch network, released a memo this week warning that, based on the results of the past two elections, if Mr. Trump becomes the GOP nominee, Democrats will win not only the White House in 2024, but will recapture the House and hold onto the Senate.
“AFP Action is supporting Nikki Haley because she offers the best chance to move beyond the current political era,” the PAC’s senior advisor, Emily Seidel, said.
Ms. Haley is polling at around 38% in New Hampshire. Much of her support comes from the state’s undeclared voters, who can vote in the primary.
The Suffolk poll found that among Haley supporters, 44% said their voice “is more a vote against Donald Trump” than a vote in favor of her.
Mr. Trump and his campaign team say Ms. Haley is funded by Democrats who want to keep Mr. Trump off the ballot because he can defeat Mr. Biden.
Analysts believe Ms. Haley needs to score a big win or at least come very close to defeating Mr. Trump in New Hampshire to improve her chances in South Carolina, where she’s trailing Mr. Trump by double digits.
In a sign that she’s not quitting even if she loses in New Hampshire, Ms. Haley has scheduled a campaign rally for Wednesday in Charleston.
Robert Kelley, an undeclared voter from Weare, backed Mr. Biden in 2020 but may vote for Ms. Haley on Tuesday because he likes her pledge to secure the southern border and reduce spending and the size of government.
Despite robust crowds showing up for Ms. Haley at events around the state, he has little hope she’ll become the GOP nominee.
“She’ll be a little bit of a blip. She’ll come in second place,” Mr. Kelley said. “But down the road, she’s not going to make it.”
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.