Haley Counting On Record Turnout Of Indy Voters To Beat Trump In New Hampshire

“Undeclared” voters in New Hampshire can choose either ballot, and Haley needs them to pick a GOP ballot en masse for her campaign to have any chance.

HAMPTON, N.H. ― After nearly a full year on the campaign trail, Nikki Haley’s presidential hopes on Tuesday will be in the hands of New Hampshirites like Adam O’Kane and Susan DeMarco.

O’Kane is a 34-year-old small business owner and app developer from nearby Stratham. DeMarco is a 70-year-old retiree from Hampton.

Both are “undeclared” voters, belonging to neither party and, under New Hampshire election rules, are therefore eligible to cast a ballot in either presidential primary. And on Sunday afternoon, both came out to The Old Salt Restaurant to listen to Dean Phillips, the Minnesota congressman challenging President Joe Biden, to help figure out whether to ask for a Democratic ballot to vote for Phillips or a Republican one to help Haley.

“I absolutely will not vote for Donald Trump,” said O’Kane, who said he can appreciate Phillips’ argument that he would be a stronger candidate against the coup-attempting former president but also sees the utility in voting for Haley. “I’d like to give her a puncher’s chance after New Hampshire.”

DeMarco said that while she, too, sees stopping Trump as the top priority, she was leaning toward voting in the Democratic primary ― unless last-minute polls on Tuesday show Haley within striking distance of Trump.