Nikki Haley's Republican primary campaign in New Hampshire faced an uphill battle as she struggled to generate enthusiasm among voters, especially the unaffiliated voters she needed to win over. Fergus Cullen, a former state chair of the New Hampshire Republican Party, expressed his lack of enthusiasm for Haley's campaign and highlighted her refusal to take on Donald Trump as a key reason for his reticence.
Cullen, a self-proclaimed 'never Trump Republican,' believed that Haley failed to give unaffiliated voters a compelling reason to support her. He mentioned that she avoided making any statements that might offend Trump's supporters, which he felt was a missed opportunity to appeal to the broader electorate. Cullen further explained that in politics, one is judged by both their friends and their enemies, and Haley had not done what was necessary to gain traction among voters.
Despite the optimism of the New Hampshire Secretary of State about record voter turnout, Cullen disagreed, predicting lower turnout due to the lack of enthusiasm for any candidate. He noted that this feeling of resignation extended beyond the Republican primary, encompassing the general election as well. Cullen expressed his belief that voters were disheartened by the prospect of a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, suggesting that it was an election few Americans desired.
Cullen contrasted the current lackluster campaign climate with past presidential races in New Hampshire, where candidates like John McCain and Barack Obama drew 1,000-plus-person crowds to high school gymnasiums. He argued that this kind of energy was absent from the current campaign, even for Donald Trump, who may still win in New Hampshire but seemed to lack the same level of enthusiasm as in previous elections.
When asked about Haley's chances of success, Cullen outlined two key factors. First, could she keep Trump's support below 50 percent? Cullen stressed the importance of consolidating the non-Trump vote to have a chance at defeating him. Second, could Haley make the race competitive by breaking 40 percent and keeping the margin within 10 points? Unfortunately for Haley, Cullen predicted that she would fall short on both counts, with Trump comfortably breaking 50 percent and Haley struggling to break 40.
In conclusion, Fergus Cullen's assessment of Nikki Haley's campaign in New Hampshire highlighted the lack of enthusiasm among voters and her failure to differentiate herself from Donald Trump. Cullen's predictions suggested that Haley would face significant challenges in achieving success in the primary, as Trump maintained his strong Republican support.
