Nikki Haley Rises to Second Place in GOP Presidential Contention

Aside from Donald Trump’s continuing big lead in every poll, the biggest development in the Republican presidential battle has been the very dramatic rise of Nikki Haley.

In recent weeks, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador has rocketed to second place in Iowa polls while showing considerable strength in the first-in-the nation New Hampshire primary.

Haley’s rise clearly appears to come at the expense of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was long considered the first GOP alternative to Trump.

The just-completed Iowa Poll showed Trump with 43% among likely GOP caucus goers, followed by Haley and DeSantis tied for second place with 16%.

“That’s a drop of 3% points for DeSantis, who was the first choice of 19% of caucusgoers in August.

And it’s a 10-point jump for Haley, who was at 6% in the August poll,” noted the Des Moines Register, which co-sponsored the Iowa Poll along with NBC-TV.

In New Hampshire, where popular GOP Gov. Chris Sununu is expected to endorse Haley soon, two polls have shown the South Carolinian moving to second place behind Trump and ahead of DeSantis.

A Suffolk University Poll among likely Republican primary voters showed Trump at 49%, Haley 19%, and DeSantis 10%.

Public Opinion Strategies (POS) polling similarly showed Trump at 46%, Haley at 18%, and DeSantis 12%.

“Right now, [Haley] is the safest spot for the never-Trumpers to go,” former State Attorney General Tom Rath, a veteran of Republican presidential campaigns in New Hampshire for four decades, told Newsmax.

“Her conservative bona fides are solid. She’s been an executive, has some foreign policy chops and has a brand of conservatism that feels as it’s within the mainstream.”

Rath added that if anyone has momentum at this point, it’s Haley.

Her recent gains in Iowa and New Hampshire come as Mike Pence has withdrawn from the race and both former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott are expected to head for the exit sign before Thanksgiving.

All are considered likely to endorse Haley.

This is expected to enhance her growing lead over DeSantis.

Whether it is enough to catch up with Trump remains uncertain.

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.