Nikki Haley is the top-ranked Republican candidate to beat President Joe Biden in next year’s election, according to a new poll. She shows that she is defeating him with independent voters.
The former South Carolina governor leads Biden by two points in a hypothetical matchup.
It’s the latest sign from a candidate who has surged in the polls since her strong showing in the first Republican debate, when she took on her opponents on foreign policy, abortion and climate change.
She hopes for a repeat in the second debate on Wednesday evening.
However, former President Donald Trump remains the clear frontrunner in the Republican primary race, skipping the debate stage for the second time.
Nikki Haley’s strong numbers in the general election are based on her appeal to independent voters. She leads Biden by 19 points in this crucial group and also does well among graduates
As Trump continues to maintain a clear grip on the Republican base, new /JL Partners poll of 1,000 likely voters shows Haley winning over independents and graduates and eating into Biden’s support in the general election.
According to the poll, she is 19 points ahead of Biden among independent voters (45 percent to 26 percent).
The only other candidate who comes close to such broad appeal is South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who beat Biden by 16 points in that group.
In contrast, Trump, known for his polarizing behavior and policies, leads Biden by just two points among independents.
James Johnson, co-founder of JLP, said: “Haley beats Biden among independent voters – by a margin of almost twenty points, more than any other candidate.”
“Although her performance against Biden is held back by relatively low support from her own Republican voters, she is still the best-performing candidate against Joe Biden.” This could well change in a real election – the independents could fall behind if they is moving to a traditional Republican office, and Republican support is likely to increase if she becomes the nominee.
“But it gives her a boost when she goes into the debate. She hopes she can build on that with a win in our post-debate poll.”
‘s post-debate poll, viewers rated Haley fourth best out of eight performers who took the stage at the first debate last month.
But she received rave reviews from non-Republican viewers, such as writers at The New York Times, who declared her the night’s winner.
JL Partners asked 1,000 likely voters for their thoughts on the 2024 election. Nikki Haley would win a general election by two points against Joe Biden if it were held today
Nikki Haley’s campaign is on the move after a strong first debate and she would win a head-to-head matchup against Joe Biden if the election were held today
One of her best moments was when she intervened in an argument and recited a famous saying from Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first female prime minister.
“If you want something said, ask a man.” “If you want something done, ask a woman,” said the only woman on stage.
The performance provided a huge boost in donations. Her campaign said she raised at least $1 million in 72 hours, a record time for her.
This is leading to growing, broad support among groups that Trump and other candidates have difficulty reaching.
She did better with women and young voters in the duel against Biden. And the new poll shows she has just a one-point lead over the likely Democratic nominee among college-educated voters, compared to Trump’s 17-point gap.
However, this comes with costs. Compared to Trump, she has problems among Republican voters: While he can count on 84 percent of party support against Biden, she would only win 67 percent of the GOP vote in today’s general election.
One of Nikki Haley’s best moments was when she clashed with Ramaswamy. “You have no experience in foreign policy, and it shows,” she told him
Her message centers on a Ronald Reagan-esque appeal to traditional conservatives who were sidelined during the Trump years. Her campaign embraces a robust foreign policy with continued support for Ukraine, while cutting taxes on the middle class and reducing federal government control.
The 51-year-old also placed the need for a new generation of leaders at the heart of her pitch. It calls for mental competency tests for politicians aged 75 and over.
The result is a series of good poll numbers and an influx of donor money.
This week, she ranked second in the state in a poll conducted by the Saint Anselm College Survey Center at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. Trump still leads with 45 percent of likely Republican primary voters, but Haley is his main challenger with 15 percent.