New Hampshire primary takeaways: Trump demands the GOP unify, papering over his vulnerabilities

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump scored decisive victories Tuesday in New Hampshire’s primaries, withboth aimingto move confidently into general election mode.

Even so, questions remain, though there are fewer for Democrats. A Biden write-in campaign — he skipped New Hampshire in a conflict over the 2024 primary order — easily defeated an energetic and well-funded challenge from Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota.

On the Republican side, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley vowed to continue, much to the chagrin of Trump and his allies. She’s going forward with a sharp focus on South Carolina, where she used to be governor — but where Trump is seen as the front-runner.

Here are the biggest takeaways from New Hampshire primary night — from Trump and the future of the Republican Party to the declining influence of local endorsements and more.

Trump increases the pressure to end the primary campaign

Trump became the first nonincumbent Republican presidential candidate to win both Iowa and New Hampshire, and he won both races by double digits.

Trump and his allies are wielding the historical first as a clear sign that the 2024 primary campaign should be coming to an end. Yes, a significant proportion of the GOP electorate has been looking for a Trump alternative. But it so far hasn’t been able to come close to toppling him.

“We have to do what’s right for our party,” Trump said at his election night party in Nashua.

Of course, it’s to be expected that Trump would urge his opponents to stop opposing him. More notably, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel essentially told NBC News in a statement before New Hampshire polls closed Tuesday that, should Trump earn a substantial victory, it would