Haley returns to New Hampshire seeking to close gap with Trump less than a month before primary

By Ebony Davis, CNN

(CNN) — Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley returns to the campaign trail Wednesday for a three-day swing in New Hampshire with less than a month to close a still-yawning polling gap between her and GOP front-runner Donald Trump before the state’s first-in-the-nation primary.

Haley’s visit marks her first time back in the Granite State since receiving the coveted endorsement of popular New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, which her campaign said was “the latest evidence of Nikki’s growing momentum.”

Sununu, who has long made clear his opposition to Trump’s candidacy, is expected to campaign with Haley this week as they attempt to pitch the former South Carolina governor as the best alternative to the former president ahead of the January 23 primary.

Ahead of hitting the trail, Haley released a new ad that will air statewide and features Sununu touting why Haley earned his endorsement.

“She’s a leader who builds people up. She’s a live-free-or-die Republican who understands fiscal responsibility and individual liberty. She’s a new generation of conservative leadership who can help leave behind the chaos and the drama of the past,” Sununu says in the ad.

In recent weeks, Haley has claimed growing momentum in the GOP primary after strong debate performances and expanding support from wealthy GOP megadonors. A recent CBS News/YouGov poll found Haley gaining on Trump in New Hampshire, though the former president was still ahead 44% to 29% among likely GOP voters. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis trailed with 11%.

Haley’s GOP rivals have responded to this heightened support by ramping up their attacks on her. Among them is former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has rejected calls to exit the GOP primary and back Haley in order to help her chances against Trump in the Granite State.

“If she showed me that she was actually running against Donald Trump, I might,” he said at a gathering with supporters earlier this month.

Last week, MAGA Inc., the super PAC supporting Trump, launched an ad targeting Haley, the first time Trump’s team has gone after his former United Nations ambassador on the airwaves. The 30-second spot criticized Haley for comments she made about a gas tax while governor of South Carolina and accused her of flip-flopping on the issue.

During Haley’s time as governor, a gas tax increase was being pushed by a Republican state legislator, and Haley only signed on after the gas tax increase was paired with income tax cuts. The proposal ultimately did not pass in the Palmetto State.

DeSantis also double downed on his criticism during a Fox interview, asserting that Haley was out of step with conservatives.

“She’s not somebody that conservatives have any confidence in. That’s not her record,” the Florida governor said. “Her program is not what Republican voters are looking to have, and I think that’s been more apparent, as people have gotten to know her more and more.”

In response, Haley has publicly called out both Trump and DeSantis for painting false narratives of her and stressing that if they “have to lie to win, you don’t deserve to win. It’s that simple.”

Despite the consistent attacks from opponents, Haley’s campaign says it is focused on appealing to voters in the closing days before voting begins.

“Granite Staters are ready for a new generation of conservative leadership. We feel the momentum on the ground and are excited to keep building on it,” Haley spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas told CNN.

CNN’s Alison Main, David Wright and Kit Maher contributed to this report.

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