Nikki Haley gains on Trump in New Hampshire as polls show voters believe she is more reasonable and likable than ex-president

In New Hampshire, the gap between former President Donald Trump and fellow Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley appears to be narrowing.

While Trump appears to have a dominant position in Iowa, where the first of next month's primaries will take place, Haley appears to benefit from the more moderate electorate in New Hampshire compared to voters from the Midwest who consider themselves “more reasonable.” is. ' and 'sympathetic' compared to Trump.

Trump's lead in the Granite State is shrinking as polls show Haley closing the gap on the ex-president, while also overtaking Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for second place.

Not only is the former U.N. ambassador 18 points ahead of DeSantis in New Hampshire, but she is also just 15 percent behind Trump, according to a new survey. CBS News/YouGov poll released on Sunday.

While Trump appears to excel in leadership qualities, he falls short in New Hampshire when polls look at who is the most 'likeable' or 'reasonable' candidate.

Haley floats past other Republican candidates when voters are asked to rank who is the most “reasonable.”

Haley scores even better when voters are asked to decide who is the most “likable.”

Haley, who seems to be the main alternative for those who don't vote for Trump. benefits from New Hampshire's more moderate electorate compared to Iowa.

The CBS News poll also shows Haley nearly on par with Trump when it comes to “being prepared,” which may be surprising considering Trump has been president before.

29 percent of likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire prefer Haley, with 55 percent of the electorate describing her as “likable,” compared to 37 percent who say the same about DeSantis and 36 percent who say the same about Trump.

DeSantis is just 1 percentage point ahead of former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who as the only remaining anti-Trump candidate has focused all his attention on capturing the New England state and has yet to set foot in Iowa for his campaign .

Haley was one of the rare survivors of the Trump administration, and her reputation remained intact. Trump accepted her resignation in October 2018

Thanks to a series of endorsements and strong debate performances, Haley has gained momentum to close the gap with Trump

DeSantis has seen a big drop in the polls during the New Hampshire primary season, most likely due to the fact that many Republican voters in New Hampshire are not as socially conservative as the Florida governor.

Haley's campaign is focusing on her electability and positioning her as Trump's most viable challenger.

Polls show Haley making good progress among self-identified moderates and independents, competing closely with Trump in these demographics.

Haley – who has expressed more moderate social views, including on abortion – was able to overtake DeSantis in New Hampshire.

The former South Carolina governor has also made significant gains among those who describe themselves as more moderate and independent.

Trump has won the Republican primary in New Hampshire twice, but lost the state in both of his general elections.

New Hampshire is holding its second primary with elections on January 23, and the state's moderates and independent voters appear open to candidates who have something different to offer than Trump.

Trump has remained in the top spot in every national and statewide poll in the Republican presidential primaries, despite his refusal to participate in the debates.

Donald Trump still leads in New Hampshire with 44% support, with less than 40 days until the primaries – but Nikki Haley has rocketed to second place, ahead of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis with 18%

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley has rocketed to second place in New Hampshire, closing the gap on Donald Trump, trailing the former president by just 15%.

DeSantis has seen a decline in New Hampshire as Republicans don't identify as much with his socially conservative agenda. But in Iowa, DeSantis is still in a solid second place, ahead of Haley

The numbers released Sunday show there is still a chance for other candidates to close the gap before the Iowa caucuses kick off with primaries on Jan. 15.

While Trump remains the candidate to beat in Republican Party territory, with predictions suggesting he could secure a majority of delegates in Iowa, Haley's support in New Hampshire could reveal a more modest number of delegates.

In Iowa, Trump still leads the field of likely caucusgoers with 58 percent support, followed by DeSantis at 22 percent and Haley in third place at 13 percent, according to the CBS poll conducted Dec. 8-15.

The survey sampled 1,054 registered voters in Iowa and 85 in New Hampshire.