New Hampshire primary 2024: Trump projected to win, Haley vows to fight on

Trump and Biden had strong showings in the first-in-the-nation primary.

Last Updated: January 23, 2024, 4:30 PM EST

Former President Donald Trump will win the 2024 New Hampshire GOP primary, ABC News projects. As of 10 p.m. Eastern, Trump was ahead by less than 10 percentage points. While that represents a slight overperformance of polling for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, even a close loss is a big hit to her prospects, as she had staked her campaign on a strong performance in the Granite State. Haley spoke shortly after the projection to emphasize that "this race is far from over," while Trump (and his allies) amped up calls for her to drop out.

ABC News has also projected that President Joe Biden will win the Granite State's Democratic primary. A comfortable write-in victory for him despite not even being on the ballot is a good sign for the incumbent.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Geoffrey Skelley Image
Jan 23, 2024, 8:06 PM EST

ABC News projects that Biden will win the Granite State

Well, it remains to be seen by how much, but ABC News projects that Biden will win the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary. We have limited returns, but "unprocessed write-ins" are clearing 70 percent at the moment, much of which will be ballots cast for Biden.

Geoffrey Skelley, 538

President Joe Biden will win the New Hampshire Democratic primary, ABC News projects, based on the exit poll and analysis of the vote.
3:28

ABC News projects Biden will win New Hampshire primary

President Joe Biden will win the New Hampshire Democratic primary, ABC News projects, based on the exit poll and analysis of the vote.
ABCNews.com
Jacob Rubashkin Image
Jan 23, 2024, 8:02 PM EST

How does Hanover go?

In 2016, one of Trump's worst performances came in Hanover, which is home to Dartmouth College, and sits due north of Lebanon. Trump came in fourth place there, with just 10.7 percent, behind Kasich, Rubio and Bush. It's not a ton of votes there — just over 1,600 votes cast in the 2016 primary — but it's a place Haley needs to dominate in tonight.

—Jacob Rubashkin, Inside Elections

Dan Hopkins Image
Jan 23, 2024, 8:01 PM EST

How to win and lose the New Hampshire primary at the same time

Earlier, Nathaniel wrote about what would constitute a win for Trump and for Haley. But it’s worth remembering that in the 1968 Democratic primary, Eugene McCarthy surprised observers by taking 42 percent of the vote against incumbent President Lyndon Baines Johnson, who won 48 percent. Despite winning New Hampshire, by the end of the month, LBJ had dropped out of the race, famously declaring, "I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your president."

Dan Hopkins, 538 contributor

Nathaniel Rakich Image
Jan 23, 2024, 7:59 PM EST

How many Democratic write-ins are for Biden?

This is just one town, but in Belmont, Biden won about three-fourths of the write-in votes.

—Nathaniel Rakich, 538

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