Yesterday marked a significant day for Nikki Haley as she received an endorsement from the New Hampshire governor, Sununu. Despite Sununu being widely popular in New Hampshire, he chose not to run for re-election, aligning his support instead with Haley. His endorsement is viewed as a pivotal moment, as Sununu has expressed concerns about Donald Trump's potential to win a general election due to his previous associations with Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump himself.
Meanwhile, national polls reveal that Trump leads by a considerable margin, averaging 60%. DeSantis trails at 12%, with Haley matching that figure. Considering the demographics of Iowa, Trump also boasts a 50% lead, with DeSantis at 19% and Haley at 5%.
Despite this widespread support for Trump, multiple head-to-head state matchups with Joe Biden reveal potential victories for either Trump or Haley, the latter of which emerges with a double-digit lead. This evidence fuels the speculation surrounding the upcoming debate in less than a month at Drake in Des Moines.
Three Republicans, DeSantis, Haley, and Trump, could actually qualify for the upcoming debate. DeSantis has already confirmed his participation, while Haley's team remains undecided. Meanwhile, Trump remains ahead in the polls, casting doubt on his potential participation.
In response to Sununu’s endorsement, the Trump campaign dismissed its significance. They maintained that Trump’s endorsement remains the only important one in politics and that he is set to beat Biden in securing the White House.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Chris Sununu symbolize public dissent towards Trump. Sununu, a critic of Trump, was never expected to endorse him and was always clear about his intentions to support another candidate.
In recent times, the belief that Trump could be beaten in the race has regained strength, driven by the fact that he has won in five straight major polls, not only in battleground states but across wider regions too. Therefore, the argument that he can't win the general election appears increasingly farfetched, spelling an invigorating race ahead.