Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley just lost the New Hampshire primary by 11%.
She had earlier come in third in the recent Iowa caucuses behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But DeSantis, not she, dropped out of the race. He then endorsed front-runner Donald Trump.
By contrast, Haley confidently announced that at last there was a two-person, head-to-head race. So she confidently headed to New Hampshire.
Her subtext was that if she did not win the upcoming two-person primaries, she would come in “second” rather than “last.”
Her supporters outspent all the candidates in Iowa and would do so again in New Hampshire. Haley consolidated the Never-Trump voters, won Independents and crossover Democrats and garnered millions from the donor class exasperated at the thought of a third Trump candidacy.
