Trump opens up double-digit poll lead over Haley in New Hampshire: Live

Florida governor Ron DeSantis suspends his presidential campaign

Donald Trump has opened up an 11 percentage point lead over Nikki Haley, his rival for the Republican presidential nomination, ahead of Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, according to the latest poll from CNN and the University of New Hampshire.

The development comes as Florida governor Ron DeSantis announced on Sunday that he was suspending his campaign and endorsing Mr Trump, despite months of animosity between the two men.

The candidate said in a video statement posted on X: “Following our second place finish in Iowa, we’ve prayed and deliberated on the way forward. If there was anything I could do to produce a favourable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it.”

He continued: “I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don’t have a clear path to victory. Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign.”

Mr DeSantis came in second in the Iowa Caucus but several polls, including CNN’s, subsequently placed him trailing in third place behind Mr Trump and Ms Haley in the Granite State, where they will now go head-to-head.

As the race for New Hampshire (and beyond) becomes a two-horse race, Trump has ramped up his online attacks on his former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, flooding Truth Social with polling in his favour and deriding her chances.

The latest poll published by CNN/University of New Hampshire over the weekend puts the current difference between them at 11 percentage points, with Trump on 50 per cent and Haley on 39 per cent.

Another survey, by The Washington Post and Monmouth University, puts the gap slightly larger at 18 per cent, with Trump on 52 per cent and Haley on 34 per cent.

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