On the morning of Thursday, Jan. 18, New Hampshire stood five days out from the Jan. 23 New Hampshire Presidential Primary. In the small town of Hollis, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, pitched her campaign to a crowd of approximately 250 New Hampshirites and the press. Hollis, which borders Massachusetts, is a 50 minute drive from the University, making it one of the closest events she has held to Brandeis’ campus. Prior to announcing her run for the presidency, Nikki Haley was the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President Trump, a role in which she gained a reputation for her tough style and stalwart support of Israel. 

After former President Trump’s dominant victory in Iowa last week—  beating all other opponents in the caucus by 30%—  Haley looks to New Hampshire for momentum to beat Trump at the Republican convention this July. Even before Florida governor Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race on Sunday, Haley had declared it a “two-person race,” despite DeSantis’s better showing in Iowa. 

Polling released by CNN on Sunday, Jan. 21 has Haley polling at 39%, and Trump at 50%, despite the state’s reputation for moderation and large number of political independents. Haley argues that if she can get past Trump in the primaries and earn the Republican nomination, she would cruise to victory against President Joe Biden in November. A CBS News/YouGov poll from early January indicated that Haley held an eight point lead over President Biden in a theoretical match-up, while former President Trump held only a two-point lead over Biden; the poll had a three-point margin of error. 

At the wedding-hall-turned-rally-venue in Hollis, Haley’s newly found energy was on full display. New Hampshire Governor Sununu introduced Haley to an older but fired-up crowd. He led with a subtle but clear jab at Trump, critiquing his stops to the state on his branded jet to hold a country club fundraiser only to then fly back to his own country club. Haley then walked out to “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor and a roaring applause. 

Haley articulated her case in sharp and concise points on the key issues for Republican voters: curbing illegal immigration and maintaining control of the U.S.-Mexico border, lowering government spending and the national debt, supporting Israel and fighting the rise of gender-inclusive language and restrooms. Haley was as quick to take a jab at Trump as she was at gender-fluid pronouns and transgender-accepting restrooms. On Trump, Haley said, “If he’s going to lie about me, we’re going to tell the truth about him … You’re going to see a lot of things said, but at the end of the day, it’s the drama, and vengeance, and the vindictiveness that we want to get out of the way.” At every opportunity, Haley attempted to frame Trump and Biden in the same light, with quips such as, “What are Biden and Trump both focused on? Investigations, past issues, things that aren't taking us forward."

In recent weeks, former President Trump has directed a torrent of criticism toward Haley. Trump referred to Haley by her unused first name, Nimarata — Nikki is her middle name — and misspelling it too in a TruthSocial post. Furthermore, Trump described Haley’s campaign as “counting on Democrats and liberals to infiltrate your Republican primary to put her over the top in this state — which is no surprise, since her campaign is funded by Democrats.” Trump has accused Haley of being ineligible to run for president due to her parents’ Indian ancestry. Haley laughed off these claims at the Hollis event. 

Haley must win New Hampshire to have a shot in the upcoming primaries. Unlike Trump’s campaign, branded as “Make America Great Again,” as seen on podium lectures at his rallies currently, and President Biden’s “Battle for the Soul of the Nation,” prominent in the April 2023 video announcing the launch of his reelection campaign, Haley’s campaign slogan of “Stand for America” has yet to make its mark on the election. What is clear to New Hampshire voters is what Haley is not: older or male. On Jan. 23, New Hampshirites will decide if this is enough to propel her to victory in the nation’s first primary election and likely the most important one of her career.