Haley Counting On Record Turnout Of Indy Voters To Beat Trump In New Hampshire

HAMPTON, N.H. ― After nearly a full year on the campaign trail, Nikki Haley’s presidential hopes on Tuesday will be in the hands of New Hampshirites like Adam O’Kane and Susan DeMarco.

O’Kane is a 34-year-old small business owner and app developer from nearby Stratham. DeMarco is a 70-year-old retiree from Hampton.

Both are “undeclared” voters, belonging to neither party and, under New Hampshire election rules, are therefore eligible to cast a ballot in either presidential primary. And on Sunday afternoon, both came out to The Old Salt Restaurant to listen to Dean Phillips, the Minnesota congressman challenging President Joe Biden, to help figure out whether to ask for a Democratic ballot to vote for Phillips or a Republican one to help Haley.

“I absolutely will not vote for Donald Trump,” said O’Kane, who said he can appreciate Phillips’ argument that he would be a stronger candidate against the coup-attempting former president but also sees the utility in voting for Haley. “I’d like to give her a puncher’s chance after New Hampshire.”

DeMarco said that while she, too, sees stopping Trump as the top priority, she was leaning toward voting in the Democratic primary ― unless last-minute polls on Tuesday show Haley within striking distance of Trump.

“I was hoping it would be closer,” she said.

Unfortunately for Haley, as the days have passed since Trump’s 30-point win in the Iowa caucuses over both Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump’s lead in New Hampshire has remained steady or even widened somewhat.

Trump led Haley by an average of 13 points on Jan. 15, but two new polls have him ahead by 18 and 19, possibly because he picked up more of DeSantis’ support than Haley did after DeSantis dropped out on Sunday.

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