GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley has seen a notable surge in support in New Hampshire, according to a recent poll conducted by the Saint Anselm College Survey Center (SACSC). The survey, published on Thursday, reveals that Haley's backing has doubled in the early voting state since September, significantly narrowing the gap between her and former President Trump.

The poll found that Haley now commands 30 percent of the likely Republican primary vote, just 14 points behind Trump's 44 percent support. This significant gain in momentum positions Haley as a serious contender in the upcoming primary race.

In contrast, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who was previously considered one of Haley's closest rivals, has experienced a decline in support. DeSantis's numbers dropped 6 points, from 11 percent to 5 percent, since the September poll. Another notable candidate, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, saw a slight increase in support, garnering 12 percent in December, a 2 point rise from September.

However, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson are still polling in the single digits, with 6 and 1 percent support respectively.

Looking beyond the primary race, the poll also explored a hypothetical general election match-up between President Biden and Trump. It showed that Biden currently leads Trump by a significant margin of 10 points, with a 49 percent to 39 percent split. Additionally, independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. managed to gain 8 percent support in the survey.

It is worth noting that approximately 4 percent of the respondents in the Granite State poll remained unsure about their choice.

These poll results come at a crucial time, as New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary is just over a month away. Governor Chris Sununu, a prominent figure in the state, recently endorsed Haley, further boosting her campaign.

Despite Haley's impressive surge in the polls, Trump has managed to maintain a strong lead, even in the face of legal challenges. Trump's significant legal woes include four criminal cases and an ongoing civil fraud case. Moreover, he now faces a recent ruling in Colorado that could potentially disqualify him from the state's primary ballot.

Trump, however, seemed dismissive of Haley's rise in popularity. In a social media post earlier this month, he questioned the validity of the "Nikki Surge," stating that while he hears about it from the "Fake News Media," he does not see evidence of it in the polls or on the ground.

The SACSC poll, conducted on December 18-19, involved 1,711 likely voters from New Hampshire. The survey has a margin of error of 3.9 percentage points, making it a reliable representation of the state's political landscape.