Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is gaining on Donald Trump in the New Hampshire GOP primary, but the former president continues to hold a commanding lead in Iowa, according a new poll.


What You Need To Know

  • Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is gaining on Donald Trump in the New Hampshire GOP primary, but the former president continues to hold a commanding lead in Iowa, according a new poll

  • The poll by CBS News and YouGov published Sunday has Haley, a former ambassador to the United Nations and ex-governor of South Carolina, with support from 29% of likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire

  • She trails Trump (44%) by 15 percentage points

  • In Iowa, Trump is running away from the field, according to the poll -- he has a 36-point lead over second-place DeSantis

The poll by CBS News and YouGov published Sunday has Haley, a former ambassador to the United Nations and ex-governor of South Carolina, with support from 29% of likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire. She trails Trump (44%) by 15 percentage points.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is in a distant third place at 11%, followed by former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (10%), entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (5%) and ex-Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (1%), according to the survey.

As the GOP field dwindles, Haley appears to be consolidating much of the non-Trump vote in the party. But Trump also has seen his support fall in recent months.

In the same poll in September, Haley was in third place at 11%, and Trump was at 50%. 

Since then, Haley has received a series of major endorsements, including from New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and the Koch Brothers-founded political network Americans for Prosperity Action. Haley also has attracted some new major donors.

As Haley has gained in the polls, DeSantis, Ramaswamy and Christie have all stepped up their attacks on her.

The poll found that New Hampshire GOP primary voters believe Haley is the most likable in the field and nearly as prepared as Trump for the presidency. 

Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said Haley is likable. DeSantis (37%), Ramaswamy (36%) and Trump (36%) had similar numbers on the same question.

Fifty-four percent of likely GOP primary voters said they’d describe Trump as prepared to be president. And 53% said Haley is prepared, notable considering Trump previously held the job.

Trump, however, had the highest marks for being a strong leader (66% compared to DeSantis’ 45% and Haley’s 41%) and for his chances of beating President Joe Biden in the general election. Fifty-one percent said Trump would “definitely” defeat Biden, while 32% said Haley would beat the incumbent.

In Iowa, Trump is running away from the field, according to the CBS News/YouGov poll. Fifty-eight percent of likely Republican caucus voters said they support the former president. DeSantis is in second place at 22%, and Haley is in third with 13%. No one else is polling above 3% in the Hawkeye State.

Iowa will hold its Republican caucus on Jan. 15. New Hampshire’s GOP primary, in which independents can vote, will be held Jan. 23.