In the race for the Republican presidential nomination, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley is gaining ground on former President Donald Trump, according to a recent poll conducted in New Hampshire.

The poll, conducted by American Research Group from December 14 to 20, surveyed likely New Hampshire Republican primary voters and revealed that Haley had the support of 29% of respondents. Meanwhile, Trump maintained his lead with 33% support. The margin between the two candidates is just four percentage points, indicating a close competition.

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie secured 13% support, placing him third among likely New Hampshire Republican voters, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis trailed behind with 6% support. Entrepreneur and pundit Vivek Ramaswamy received 5% support, while former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson garnered 1% support.

Interestingly, the poll also showed that 12% of respondents were still undecided, leaving the potential for significant shifts in support ahead of the primary. Only 1% of likely New Hampshire Republican primary voters expressed support for candidates outside of the mainstream GOP contenders.

The telephone survey included 600 completed interviews with a random sample of likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire. Of the sample, 361 respondents identified as Republicans, while 239 were undeclared voters or independents.

Breaking down the party affiliation, the poll found that 39% of registered New Hampshire Republicans interviewed expressed support for Trump, while 27% indicated support for Haley. Among undeclared voters, Trump received 24% support, while Haley secured 33%.

With the Iowa caucuses just a month away, Haley finds herself in direct competition with DeSantis as the preferred alternative to Trump among Republican voters. Haley has experienced a recent surge in polling numbers in New Hampshire, which is scheduled to hold its primary contest on January 23. Her campaign received a significant boost earlier this month when she earned the endorsement of New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu. In contrast, DeSantis has been focusing his efforts on Iowa, where he received the endorsement of Governor Kim Reynolds in November.

While the nationwide picture shows Trump maintaining a commanding lead, with the support of 69% of Republican primary voters, Haley and DeSantis came in second and third with 9% and 12% support respectively, as revealed in a recent Fox News Poll. However, it is important to note that these figures represent a nationwide view and may not accurately reflect the preferences of voters in specific states like New Hampshire.

As the primary season draws near, the race for the Republican nomination remains highly competitive, with Haley closing the gap on longtime front-runner Donald Trump. It will be interesting to see how these polling trends evolve in the coming weeks, ultimately shaping the outcome of the New Hampshire primary and setting the stage for the rest of the GOP contest.