This is not a good sign for Trump.
In New Mexico’s recent primary election, former President Trump faced a continuation of the pattern seen in other states this cycle, where a significant portion of votes were cast for his former GOP rivals.
Trump dominated the GOP primary with nearly 85 percent of the vote. The remaining 15 percent was distributed among several former Republican presidential contenders who have since suspended their campaigns. These included former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, along with an “uncommitted” option.
Nikki Haley received 8.6 percent of the vote, Chris Christie garnered about 2.6 percent, Vivek Ramaswamy secured nearly 1 percent, and the “uncommitted” choice accounted for 3.3 percent of the votes, according to data from Decision Desk HQ.
Despite Trump’s overwhelming success in GOP primaries this year, political analysts are closely observing Haley’s performance, especially after she announced her support for Trump over President Biden in the upcoming November election.
Throughout several states in recent months, Haley has consistently received tens of thousands of primary votes, sometimes approaching or exceeding 20 percent. In key battleground states like Arizona and Pennsylvania, she amassed over 100,000 votes earlier in the year.
These figures highlight a sense of dissatisfaction within the Republican base regarding Trump as the presumed nominee, according to political observers.
Ashley Davis, a Republican strategist, remarked last month to The Hill, “Many perceive these votes as an anti-Trump sentiment, but they also reflect support for Haley’s policies and political style. These are committed conservative Republicans whose backing Trump will need to secure.”
Trump has downplayed the significance of the votes Haley has received. In a statement last month, he noted, “Well, she got very few voters relatively … I got almost, I guess, close to 90 percent.”
This ongoing trend of votes being siphoned off to former candidates underscores the complex dynamics within the GOP as it heads toward the general election.
