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“Yay, Nikki…”
Final spurt before the Republican primaries in New Hampshire.
The mood among Nikki Haley's supporters is cautiously optimistic:
Kaitlyn Charette, student:
"I think it's so important to have a woman in a position of power.
It’s important for young women to see that.”
Sandie Crosson:
"We've never had a woman president. We've heard her speak and she's wonderful. She embodies everything I want in a president."
Salem, New Hampshire
The extent to which this could actually be an option will be decided in the small state in the northeast of the USA.
Nikki Haley has a simple message for potential voters:
Nikki Haley, candidate for the presidential candidacy
"Do you want to continue like this, or do you want to look forward?"
The anti-Trump candidate is initially well received by some voters with her distinction from the ex-president.
Chris Masure, voter:
»At least she isn't trying to overthrow the government.
That's a plus.«
Louis Potylo, voter:
»I don't like the MAGA guys, they're just absolutely crazy.
They are a cult.
We had a cult here, David Koresh, Trump reminds me of that Waco style.
Nikki is wonderful, she's beautiful, she's the best at debates.
She's just great!«
According to surveys, die-hard Trump voters are also in the majority among Republicans in New Hampshire, although not as clearly as in the first primaries in Iowa.
Haley finds it difficult to score points with this electorate:
Tatiana Franko, voter:
»Nikki Haley represents the globalist movement and, as far as I know, is actually supported by the Democrats.
She doesn't represent the people.
The fact that she's a woman doesn't matter."
Kelly Carter-Currier:
»I liked Donald Trump when he was president.
I felt like our country was safer.
So I think it's the better choice.
I'm afraid that Nikki might be - I don't know, I saw her here in Nashua in November and I liked her, but I don't know, she's just so polished in everything she says."
Donald Trump is less polished in his statements.
The ex-president is confident of victory after the race has now shrunk to two remaining candidates since Florida Governor Ron De Santis dropped out on Sunday:
Donald Trump, former President:
“Ron DeSantis.
He fought hard and he fought well.
And now we have one left.
We started with 13 people, if you count a few Democrats, and now we're down to two people.
And I think one person will probably be gone tomorrow and the other - will be gone in November."
It will soon become clear whether Nikki Haley will actually be “gone”: The 52-year-old is hoping for a strong result in New Hampshire.
If she doesn't make it here, the February 24 primary election in her home state of South Carolina will likely be a swansong.