Nikki Haley appeals to New Hampshire voters to help her gain ground on Trump

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• Geoff Bennett:

  Voting in the New Hampshire primary is in its final hours tonight.

• Amna Nawaz:

  President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump hope the primary results will secure them virtual holds for their respective parties' 2024 nominations and foreshadow a 2020 rematch this November.

  Lisa Desjardins is in Concord, New Hampshire's capital city, at the election night party of Trump's sole remaining challenger. That is former U.S. Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

  So, Lisa, tell us about the turnout so far. What's it looking like? And what does that mean for the candidates?

• Lisa Desjardins:

  You know, a few days ago, New Hampshire's secretary of state predicted record turnout for Republicans. So far, what we have seen and been hearing is, it's been steady.

  He adjusted his estimate today to say he thinks it will still be strong. What does this mean? It depends on where you look. Heavy Democratic turnout, especially in suburban and urban districts, might be good for Nikki Haley. Heavy turnout farther away from the cities to Democratic precincts might be good for someone like Dean Phillips.

  We have run into a lot of Trump voters today. In the end, all of these campaigns have been scrambling today to get out their voters.

  In the Granite State, a decision day that will shape the presidential race. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley needs to show she can compete with former President Donald Trump , and her message both echoes and rejects him.

  Nikki Haley (R), Presidential Candidate: I know you love America too, and I know you want a new, generational leader.

• Man:

  And a vote for Nikki Haley.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  For her, an auspicious start. Just after midnight, all six voters in the town of Dixville Notch cast their ballots for Haley. Her strength relies in part on voters like this one, independents and Democrats who want new leaders.

• Dan Dalphonse, Nikki Haley Supporter:

  It would be the first time in many decades that I actually voted for a Republican for president, for a very long time.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  Why?

• Dan Dalphonse:

  Well, again, new ideas, fresh face.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  Trump too was at the polls today, and, of course, Haley came up.

  Donald Trump , Former President of the United States (R) and Current U.S. Presidential Candidate: I don't care if she stays in. Let her do whatever she wants. It doesn't matter. There's never been a movement like this, make America great again, in the history of our country.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  Trump supporters predict this ends tonight.

• Dylan Quattrucci, Donald Trump Supporter:

  So I say President Trump wins by at least double digits today and inspires Nikki Haley to drop out of the race, and then the Republicans will all unite behind President Trump.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  That's Trump's closing message, Republican unity, showcased as he appeared with three other former competitors at a rally last night.

• Donald Trump :

  Now is the time for the Republican Party to come together. We have to unify.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  But Trump served up that kumbaya with a jagged knife aimed at Haley.

• Donald Trump :

  Sadly, not everyone is willing to put our country first. Here in New Hampshire, Nikki Haley has made an unholy alliance with RINOs, never-Trumpers, Americans for no prosperity.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  At her closing rally last night, Haley cast Trump as now the establishment.

• Nikki Haley:

  You have got one who's got the entire political elite all around him. It's all of Congress. It's all these legislative people. He's got the media elite around him.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  For the Democrats, some ballot 101, as grassroots Biden supporters held signs explaining how to write in his name. President Biden is not on the ballot because of a dispute over the date of the vote.

  Those writing him in are expressing loyalty.

• Dave Plourde, Joe Biden Supporter:

  President Biden has done an incredible job. He has gotten no recognition for it whatsoever.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  For some, it's all symbolic.

• Debby Bultler, Joe Biden Supporter:

  It's probably not important. We're a tiny little state. We have four little votes in Electoral College. But I think, for democracy and the campaign, I think it'd be really terrific if we gave him a good send-off.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  But some serious competitors want to disrupt the party, Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips, who rallied scores of people last night in Manchester, and author Marianne Williamson, who has campaigned on higher minimum wage, declaring a climate emergency and tackling poverty.

• Judi Lindsey, Marianne Williamson Supporter:

  So many people haven't heard of her because she doesn't have the big money to advertise and flyers and all that. So that's the clincher. But if, today, people hear, they're going to maybe be curious. So I think her chances are awesome because her message is awesome.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  And Williamson has been here, unlike Biden, who today was in Virginia campaigning on an issue that Democrats hope will be big for them this year, abortion.

  Joe Biden , President of the United States: I believe Roe v. Wade got it right. And so do a majority of Americans.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  But the political spotlight remains, at least for a few more hours, on New Hampshire and how voters see the current and former presidents.

  There are a few ways to look at this unusual primary, but, in the end, for Nikki Haley tonight, the Live Free or Die State is truly a do-or-die for her campaign.

• Amna Nawaz:

  So, Lisa, when you talk to the Haley campaign, what do they tell you about what they need and what they expect tonight?

• Lisa Desjardins:

  You won't be surprised. Every campaign on Election Day expresses confidence. They feel like their voters will come out.

  That said, their campaign manager did send out a memo that was given to some of us reporters. In that memo, they were trying to express that they are not going to cede the race tonight. We will see what decisions she makes, but they were laying out a path through South Carolina, through Super Tuesday, stressing which states, including South Carolina, have primaries in which voters of other parties can vote in the Republican primary.

  They know that those are the voters that they have. And I will tell you that her one-on-one is really a critical factor here in New Hampshire. They want Haley to spend more time one-on-one in other states. I talked to one voter who was undecided until she met Haley yesterday, and then today she brought herself and two friends to vote for at the polls in New Hampshire.

• Geoff Bennett:

  So, Lisa, we know, by 8:00 p.m. Eastern, all of the polls will close. When should we expect results?

• Lisa Desjardins:

  That's right.

  And this was a conversation our producer Matt Loffman had with the secretary of state's office. That's right. Some polls close at 7:00, some 7:30, but all of them, as you say, done by 8:00 Eastern. That's the first time that the Associated Press would actually give a call in this race, although we don't know exactly when.

  But we do expect results to come in relatively quickly here, and the secretary of state's office says they should have most results in by 10:00 Eastern tonight.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Lisa Desjardins at Haley headquarters in Concord, New Hampshire, for us tonight.

  Lisa, thank you.