Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination in New Hampshire, leading some to call the race and to prod Nikki Haley to drop out. Is the race for the Republican nomination over?

From The Epoch Times. President Donald Trump won the New Hampshire Republican primary on Jan. 23, defeating Nikki Haley, the last contender standing from an initial field of 13 major candidates.

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In the Democratic primary, President Joe Biden, who did not appear on the ballot, saved face thanks to a write-in campaign in a contest that was declared “meaningless” by the Democratic National Committee.

President Trump is the first non-incumbent since 1976 to win both Iowa and New Hampshire. Yet, as a former occupant of the White House, he is seen as a quasi-incumbent by his base — a group of Americans who proved more loyal to him than many Beltway Republicans expected.

With two wins in a row, including this one where anti-Trump independent voters were a factor, President Trump has the wind at his back.

Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House, told The Epoch Times that he believes this is the fastest Republican primary in history, in terms of the field reducing to a single viable candidate this soon into the election cycle. …

The former president’s win came in spite of efforts by at least some anti-Trump independents to elevate Ms. Haley. …

Buoyed by the result, Ms. Haley vowed to continue the race despite placing third in Iowa and losing the head-to-head contest in New Hampshire.

“They’re falling all over themselves saying this race is over. Well, I have news for all of them,” Ms. Haley said in an election night speech. “New Hampshire is first in the nation, it is not the last in the nation. This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go.” …

Republican National Committee Chair (RNC) Ronna McDaniel weighed in late Jan. 23, urging the Haley campaign to “reflect” on their path forward, while emphasizing she wasn’t speaking for the RNC.

“I don’t see it for Nikki Haley,” Ms. McDaniel told Fox News.

“I do think there is a message that’s coming out from the voters, which is very clear: we need to unite around our eventual nominee, which is going to be Donald Trump. And we need to make sure we beat Joe Biden.” …

The DNC has pushed for South Carolina, which is more racially diverse than New Hampshire, to be the first contest this year. New Hampshire Democrats were unwilling to accede to this demand.

In an effort to save face for the president, New Hampshire Democrats undertook a write-in campaign, spending $1.5 million in the state to ensure a victory. The Associated Press called the race in President Biden’s favor shortly after the polls closed. …

New Hampshire law allows independent voters, termed “undeclared” voters in the state, to vote in either primary. …

Exit polls showed that just 27 percent of Haley voters had been previously registered Republicans. Undeclared voters accounted for 70 percent of Ms. Haley’s support, and voters who had not been previously affiliated with the Republican party accounted for 3 percent.

“I’m glad it’s down to two [Republicans]. I’m a big Joe Biden fan,” Joyce Pracuta, 75, of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Ms. Pracuta voted for Nikki Haley “to avoid Donald Trump,” and said a number of the women in her quilt guild did also. …

The next two contests for Republicans will be in Nevada, where there’s another wrinkle for Ms. Haley. She will be a candidate in the state’s non-binding Feb. 6 primary, whereas President Trump will be in the state GOP’s caucus on Feb. 8. Her decision to side with the state government over her own party is likely to harm her should she reach the convention. …

The next consequential matchup is the South Carolina Republican primary, scheduled for Feb. 24.