Nikki Haley Gains Support in New Hampshire, Despite Controversy Over Civil War Comments

Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley has been campaigning in New Hampshire in an effort to solidify her position as the Trump-alternative candidate in the 2023 Republican presidential primary. On Wednesday, during a town hall in North Conway, Haley failed to mention slavery when asked what caused the Civil War, instead saying the conflict was over states’ rights and the role of government.

This sparked controversy and backlash, prompting Haley to clarify her statements on Thursday. At the start of the town hall, she said, “Of course the Civil War was about slavery.” She added that the war was also about “more than just that,” but did not elaborate further.

Haley has been gaining traction in the GOP presidential primary contest, with her support rising from 6.9% in nationwide polls on October 1st to 25% after almost two months at 20%. In New Hampshire, her support has shifted from 50 percentage points ahead of Donald Trump to 4 percentage points ahead.

FiveThirtyEight’s analysis of the situation suggests that the shift in Haley’s support is not actually driven by any actual data, but rather by vibes and the need for a storyline. Nonetheless, Haley’s campaign in New Hampshire has been a success, as she continues to gain support and solidify her position as a Trump-alternative candidate.