Trump, Haley duke it out in New Hampshire before critical primary vote

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump will make their closing arguments in New Hampshire on Sunday in a final stretch of campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination before voters go to the polls on Tuesday.

Time is running short for Haley, who served as Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, to topple the Republican presidential frontrunner after his victory in the Iowa caucuses underscored his dominance in the primary race.

If she cannot score an upset win in New Hampshire on Tuesday, her already-narrow path to the nomination could close altogether.

Trump, who is leading Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis here, addressed a stadium full of cheering supporters in Manchester on Saturday night, encouraging them to go the polls on Tuesday, when the primary will take place.

But he also appeared to shift some of his focus to the next major nominating contest, in South Carolina in late February.

At the rally, several high-ranking state and federal officials from that state spoke on Trump's behalf, including South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.

"They understand that I am the only candidate in this race who is going to save America and we're gonna get rid of this Biden disaster right away," Trump said.

"So you know what I'm doing? I'm kissing ass."

Haley has stepped up her attacks on Trump in recent days with a late-in-the-game move to draw contrasts with a businessman and politician whose time in the White House was characterized by chaos and who faces four criminal cases, including for his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election that he lost to now President Joe Biden.

Despite her shift, some Republican and independent voters say Haley should go further with her criticisms and that she has not hit her main rival hard enough throughout her campaign.