JUST IN: Surprising GOP Candidate Catches Up To DeSantis In Critical State

The arc of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s campaign for president is continuing a downward trajectory that shows no sign of abating as another GOP nomination contender has tied him in New Hampshire, a critical early-voting state.

The collapse of Gov. DeSantis’s formerly formidable operation, which saw the firing of his original campaign manager and massive layoffs among campaign staff, was first crystalized by news that businessman Vivek Ramaswamy has tied DeSantis in the Granite State. Now the latest poll shows former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has tied the Florida governor as candidates vie for the number two position behind former President Donald Trump who leads the field by an unprecedented margin.

If the election were held today, likely GOP primary voters would lend 10 percent of their votes to both Haley and DeSantis while 57 percent of the electorate would choose President Trump. The poll, while an outlier, shows significant ground made up by Haley since previous polls showed her at an average of 3.8 percent according to RealClearPolitics. The news will surely give Haley, a former cabinet official under President Trump, a boost among voters who are not used to hearing her name mentioned among the top contenders.

Down the poll, Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie both sit at 8 percent, a surprising development for the former given that Ramaswamy has surpassed Gov. DeSantis for the number two position in some national polls. The fiery first-time candidate has caught up to entrenched rivals by taking on protestors, releasing the “10 Commandments” that guide his campaign, and promising to pardon Trump if elected. Christie, meanwhile, has been excoriated in conservative circles for his headstrong attacks on Trump.

When it comes to taking on President Joe Biden, no GOP candidate comes close to the level of President Trump. Several polls have shown the Republican leader with a clear lead over the incumbent among general election voters. Within his own party, President Trump benefits both in polling and fundraising from his four criminal indictments which Republican voters believe are politically-motivated witch hunts by Democratic politicians and prosecutors with the Biden Justice Department.