The seemingly inevitable rematch between Trump and Biden comes despite polls showing that most Americans have little enthusiasm for another contest between the two men.
That was evident in New Hampshire, where many voters raised concerns about Biden's age, his ability to do the job, and Trump's ongoing drama.
The former president currently faces 91 charges in four different trials, as well as two civil trials, including the defamation case against writer E. Jean Carroll, which resumes in New York on Thursday.
Terry and Richard Taylor at a Nikki Haley rally the night before the polls opened.credit: Farah Tomazin
In Salem, Haley supporter Terry Taylor said she hates Trump so much she might vote for Biden.
“I don't understand his popularity. “It's like a cult,” she told this masthead.
In the state capital, Concord, undeclared voter Carol Smith said: “Personally, I don’t want to see Biden or Trump. They are old and on the verge of dementia, among other things.”
Registered Democrat Chris Mack said she did not trust Biden and instead voted for his distant rival for the presidential nomination, Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips.
Democrat Dean Phillips.credit: Bloomberg
“I can't stand what's going on in the world right now and I don't think Biden is doing what we want our president to do,” she said.
“He's made quite a few blunders, and his age is certainly an issue. He's shown weakness at times. Most of all, I don't think he can beat Trump — and that scares me.”
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Biden has not actually registered to compete in the New Hampshire primary due to partisan infighting in which South Carolina was picked for the first Democratic nominating contest this year.
However, party members embarked on a campaign to “write” his name on the ballot paper to ensure he would not be embarrassed by the primary results.
In the end, Biden received about 55 percent of the votes, while Phillips, who spent months campaigning in New Hampshire, received 19.5 percent.
“How can one support democracy when one supports the least popular and unelectable Democrat of the modern era,” Phillips, 55, wrote on X on Wednesday.
“The illusion is dangerous, and it's not rocket science, people. We need a different candidate.”
The gap between Trump and Haley was not that wide, but it was nonetheless a resounding victory for Trump, one week after his victory in the Iowa caucuses.
With most votes counted, Trump had 54.4% support compared to 43.3% for Haley, prompting more GOP members to rally around him.
Among them was Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who said that although Haley ran a great campaign, there is a message coming out of voters that is very clear: We need to unite around our eventual nominee, and that will last. “To be Donald Trump.”
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South Carolina will hold its Republican contest on February 24, followed by Michigan three days later on February 27. From there, the race picks up at the national level with Super Tuesday on March 5, when the largest number of states and territories hold primaries and caucuses.
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