NationalWatch

As support for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in New Hampshire’s upcoming Republican presidential primary appeared to dwindle in recent polling, a surrogate for DeSantis on Sunday waved off the polls, saying “the real fight” would be hashed out in the South Carolina primary.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., appeared on “Fox News Sunday” and was asked whether the two new polls showing DeSantis trailing former President Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley was the reason why the governor canceled a round of appearances on the Sunday show circuit.

“We never had high expectations for New Hampshire anyway,” Massie responded. “And Nikki’s exploiting a quirk of their primary, which is that undeclareds, i.e. Democrats, can vote in a Republican primary.”

“The real fight, I think, is in South Carolina,” he continued. “And that’s where Nikki Haley, I think, stumbles. She’s going to miss expectations and not even win her own state.”

DESANTIS CANCELS NBC, CNN APPEARANCES SUNDAY OVER SCHEDULING ISSUE AHEAD OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY

Two new polls released Sunday morning show DeSantis in a distant third behind Trump and Haley in New Hampshire.

A University of New Hampshire/CNN poll showed Trump at 50%, Haley grabbing 39% support and DeSantis trailing in the single digits with 6%.

TRUMP LEAD OVER HALEY EXPANDS IN CLOSING DAYS BEFORE NEW HAMPSHIRE GOP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY

Meanwhile, a daily tracking poll released by Suffolk University, the Boston Globe and NBC10 in Boston showed Trump edging up to 55%, while Haley stood at 36% and DeSantis at 6%.

The new surveys indicate that Haley took majority support among independents, who are known as undeclared voters in New Hampshire. Independents can vote in either major party’s contest, and have long played an influential role in the state’s storied presidential primary.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

With the New Hampshire Republican primary set for Tuesday, DeSantis has already begun to shift his focus to Haley’s home state of South Carolina, where he was campaigning over the weekend.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley says former President Donald Trump is in mental “decline” and is no longer as competent as he was in 2016.

Haley made the statement during a Sunday morning appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” with host Margaret Brennan. Brennan asked Haley whether she saw evidence of Trump declining mentally when she served in his cabinet as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

“If you look recently there have been multiple things,” Haley said. “He claimed Joe Biden was gonna get us into World War II. I’m assuming he meant World War III. He said he ran against President Obama. He never ran against President Obama.”

“Don’t be surprised. If you have somebody that’s 80 in office. Their mental stability is going to continue to decline. That’s just human nature,” Haley said. “If you look at Joe Biden, he’s very different than he was two years ago. Are we really going to go into a situation where we have wars around the world, and we’re trying to prevent war, and we’re gonna have someone who we can or can’t be sure is gonna get confused?”

HALEY ARGUES DESANTIS IS ‘INVISIBLE’ — STRESSES ‘IT’S TRUMP WE’RE GOING AFTER’

“It’s a real issue. It’s not being disrespectful, it’s just a fact,” she added.

Haley went on to say that when she served in Trump’s Cabinet, she repeatedly let him know if she thought what he was doing was wrong.

DESANTIS CAMPAIGNS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, BUT MOST OF HIS STAFF DECAMPS IN SOUTH CAROLINA

“He’s just not at the same level he was at 2016, and I think we’re seeing some of that decline,” she said.

Haley is rallying support in New Hampshire and South Carolina coming off a third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses earlier this month. Trump won the caucuses with an overwhelming lead over any of the candidates, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Haley has argued that Iowa had poor turnout due to record low temperatures, with much of the state having been in below-zero weather on Election Day.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“You look at Iowa. I mean President Trump won a state of three million people with 56,000 votes. We had a very low turnout in Iowa. We’re going to have a really good turnout in New Hampshire,” Haley told reporters on Friday.

Trump defended himself during a rally with supporters in New Hampshire this weekend, arguing he is more mentally fit than ever.

“I don’t mind being 80, but I’m 77, that’s a big difference,” he said. “I feel my mind is stronger now than it was 25 years ago.”

Former Trump attorney Joe Tacopina on Sunday said that while there may be a “political bent” to some of the criminal indictments that former president is facing, it is “absolutely” possible that he could be convicted.

Tacopina, who withdrew from Trump’s legal team last week, was asked about the likelihood of a jury convicting the former president during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Politics Nation.” 

“Is it possible? Absolutely,” Tacopina responded. “You have a jury of twelve who’s going to ultimately decide this.”

“Do I think there’s a political bent to some of this, the way it’s gone about?” he questioned. “Yes, I do. Do I think these cases are invalid cases? Look, a grand jury voted to indict. You can’t say there’s no way he’ll get convicted or no way he’ll be sentenced. You just can’t say that.”

LAWYER IN TRUMP DEFAMATION CASE WON’T INTRODUCE ‘ACCESS HOLLYWOOD’ TAPE AHEAD OF POSSIBLE TESTIMONY

Trump was indicted four times last year, including for alleged election interference in Georgia and in New York City for allegedly falsifying business records.

He was also indicted on multiple felony counts for the alleged improper retention of classified records from his time in the White House at his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Fla., and four federal charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot in Washington, D.C.

MAINE OFFICIAL APPEALS HER REMOVAL OF TRUMP FROM VOTING BALLOTS TO STATE’S TOP COURT

Last week, Trump appeared in Manhattan civil court for a defamation suit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, who alleges that Trump raped her at a department store. Trump denied the claim repeatedly, leading Carroll to sue him for defamation, arguing that his denial had harmed her reputation.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Despite the numerous legal issues Trump is facing, he continues to lead in the polls for the Republican nomination for president. 

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the 2024 Republican presidential race and endorsed former President Trump two days before the New Hampshire primary.

The Florida governor announced his decision to suspend his campaign in a social media video on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday afternoon.

“If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it,” DeSantis said in the video. “But I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don’t have a clear path to victory.”

“Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign,” said DeSantis, who was a distant third in the single digits in the latest polls in New Hampshire.

THIS 2024 GOP CANDIDATE WAS TARGETED BY WAY MORE ATTACK ADS THAN ANY OTHER HEADING INTO THE PRIMARY ELECTIONS

DeSantis highlighted that he’s had “disagreements” with Trump but believes that the former president is a better leader than Biden.

“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” DeSantis continued. “They watched his presidency get stymied by relentless resistance, and they see Democrats using lawfare this day to attack him.”

DeSantis noted that “I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee, and I will honor that pledge.”

CHECK OUT THE LATEST POLL NUMBERS IN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY

Trump, who along with his allies spent months fiercely attacking DeSantis, told Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman that he was “very honored to have his endorsement.”

“I look forward to working together with him to beat Joe Biden, who is the worst and most corrupt president in the history of our country,” Trump said.

And Trump, who for months had used the derogatory nickname “Ron DeSanctimonious” on the campaign trail, said he wouldn’t be using that nickname going forward.

“No, that name has been officially retired,” Trump told Fox News Digital.

The Florida governor also took a chance to criticize former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who is a former two-term South Carolina governor and the other remaining major contender for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

TRUMP RUNNING MATE SPECULATION SOARS AS FORMER PRESIDENT CONSOLIDATES SUPPORT 

DeSantis said he endorsed Trump “because we can’t go back to the old Republican Guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”

“The days of putting Americans last, of kowtowing to large corporations, of caving to woke ideology are over,” he added.

Haley, speaking at a campaign stop in Seabrook, New Hampshire, told the crowd, “I want to say to Ron, he ran a great race. He’s been a good governor. And we wish him well. Having said that, it’s now one fella and one lady left.”

And in a statement, Haley noted that “so far, only one state has voted. Half of its votes went to Donald Trump, and half did not. We’re not a country of coronations. Voters deserve a say in whether we go down the road of Trump and Biden again, or we go down a new conservative road. New Hampshire voters will have their say on Tuesday. When I’m president, I will do everything in my power to show them they made the right decision.”

A signal that the end was near came on Saturday night when DeSantis canceled two major Sunday talk show appearances. His campaign said at the time that the interviews were canceled to allow the governor to travel back to New Hampshire from South Carolina, where he was stumping on Saturday.

The DeSantis video was posted on Sunday afternoon, a couple of hours before the governor was scheduled to hold a campaign event in Manchester, New Hampshire. That stop was canceled and there was no word on whether DeSantis would fly to New Hampshire to join Trump ahead of Tuesday’s primary.

DeSantis, 45, finished in second place in last week’s Iowa caucuses with 20.1% of the vote, but he only narrowly defeated Haley and came in 30 points behind Trump, who achieved a record-breaking and commanding victory in the low-turnout Hawkeye State contest.

DeSantis’ departure from the race comes after his campaign went “all in” on Iowa, betting that a strong ground game, events, visits to all 99 counties and endorsements from top Iowa Republicans would propel him to a strong showing leading into elections in New Hampshire and South Carolina.

But his distant second-place finish, while it slightly exceeded expectations in the final polls, was seen as a major disappointment, considering all the time and resources he spent in Iowa.

The Democratic National Committee, taking aim at the Florida governor, charged that “Ron DeSantis pinned his entire campaign’s hopes on the same extreme MAGA agenda that both Donald Trump and Nikki Haley are still running on, and now he is the latest member of the GOP to fall in line behind the original MAGA brand.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

DeSantis, who was convincingly re-elected to a second term as Florida governor 14 months ago, was once the clear alternative to Trump in the Republican White House race. Multiple polls showed DeSantis leading Trump early last year before he entered the race, but he faltered out of the gate with a glitch-riddled social media campaign announcement.

The governor was backed by the big-spending aligned super PAC Never Back Down. However, after a series of campaign setbacks over the summer and autumn, and after getting hammered by constant attacks and negative ads from Trump and his allies, DeSantis saw his support in the polls erode.

Dan Eberhart, a top DeSantis donor, bundler and surrogate, told Fox News Digital that “Ron DeSantis ran into a bump and the bump was named Trump.”

“This wasn’t about money. The campaign insists they had enough money to get to Super Tuesday. I think this was about data and polling and Gov. DeSantis being realistic about whether or not Trump was beatable,” Eberhart said.

And he added that “more importantly, I think this was about 2028, and DeSantis doesn’t want [a] 5 to 8% showing in New Hampshire on his record. Let’s face it, he’s the Republican voters’ de facto second choice, and he’s Trump voters’ second choice, and so he’s decided to get out and govern Florida.”

Fox News’ Bryan LLenas, Brooke Singman, Jamie Vera and Monica Oroz contributed to this report.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

EXETER, N.H. – Nikki Haley has a message for voters who were supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential nomination race.

“What we say to DeSantis voters is it’s time for a new generation. It’s time to stop the chaos. It’s time to stop the noise and get America back on track,” Haley told Fox News Digital on Sunday ahead of a rally in the historic town of Exeter on the New Hampshire Seacoast.

The former South Carolina governor who later served as U.N. ambassador in former President Trump’s administration was interviewed a couple of hours after DeSantis suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump, the clear frontrunner in the 2024 GOP race.

RON DESANTIS ENDORSES DONALD TRUMP AS HE DROPS OUT OF THE 2024 GOP PRESIDENTIAL RACE

“We know that DeSantis supporters love America, and we know that they want a new generational conservative leader,” Haley, 52, emphasized. “And so what we’re saying is we’re going to fight for you. We’re going to earn your support.”

Trump, speaking at a rally in Rochester, New Hampshire, once again repeatedly blasted Haley. He charged – among other things – that she “puts America last” and “wants to gut Medicare.”

CHECK OUT THE LATEST POLL NUMBERS IN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY

Haley pushed back against what she argued are Trump’s lies about her record and agenda.

“It is not what Donald Trump says. I have never said I want to raise the retirement age or cut social security. I’ve never raised a tax, regardless of what he says. He said multiple things, like I don’t believe in the border. I passed the toughest illegal immigration law in the country as governor,” she touted.

Trump, the commanding frontrunner in the GOP nomination race as he runs a third straight time for the White House, grabbed 51% of ballots cast in last week’s low-turnout Iowa Republican caucuses. DeSantis edged Haley out for a distant second place.

But DeSantis wasn’t a factor in New Hampshire, where independent voters have long played an influential role in the state’s storied presidential primary.

TRUMP RUNNING MATE SPECULATION SOARS AS FORMER PRESIDENT CONSOLIDATES SUPPORT 

Trump held 11-point and 19-point leads over Haley in two new polls released on Sunday morning, with DeSantis a distant third in the single digits before he dropped out of the race. His departure leaves Trump and Haley as the last major candidates battling for the nomination.

Haley has repeatedly declined to set expectations for her finish in New Hampshire, reiterating to reporters on Sunday at a stop in Epping that “we’ll find out what strong and stronger is on Election Day.”

Haley campaign manager Betsy Ankney told reporters on Saturday that they’re moving full speed ahead to South Carolina, which holds the next major contest in the GOP presidential nominating calendar, on Feb. 24.

Ankney said Haley will hold a large event in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, on Wednesday, the same day that the campaign will launch a $4 million statewide ad blitz.

Asked by Fox News if she’s moving on to her home state regardless of her finish in New Hampshire, Haley quickly responded “absolutely.”

“I can’t wait to make sure that we go and have that homecoming. And then I’m going to fight every day to earn their support. South Carolinians are smart. They’re tough. They expect you to do your homework,” she emphasized. “But I’ve won there twice. I know what it takes to do that and we’ll do it again.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Minutes after her Fox News interview, Haley took the stage at Exeter High School after being introduced by daytime TV host Judith Sheindlin, who is best known to Americans as Judge Judy.

“Please, New Hampshire. Use your brains and your heart,” Sheindlin stressed. “Bring her home on Tuesday.”

After the two hugged as Haley came on stage, the candidate said “how cool is it to have Judge Judy endorse you? It really is.”

Haley said of Sheindlin, “she’s a trailblazer. She’s tough. She speaks hard truths. She doesn’t mince words.”

And reacting to the roar of the crowd, Haley said “Can you hear that sound? That’s the sound of a two-person race.”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., is engaged to marry his girlfriend Mindy Noce after proposing to her in Kiawah Island, South Carolina Saturday evening.

Scott, 58, confirmed his engagement during an appearance on Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy. Scott called his engagement the second most important decision behind becoming a Christian. 

“Going to the beach and getting on one knee, and asking Mindy to marry me was so much more important than anything else, and I wanted to make sure that that sacred day would not be disturbed by anything political,” Scott told Gowdy, speaking on his discussions with former President Donald Trump for an endorsement.  

As a presidential candidate in the 2024 race, Scott introduced Noce during a debate back in November. They reportedly met at church approximately a year ago and bonded over Bible study. 

TRUMP ADDRESSES ENTHUSIASTIC NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEERS, ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT OF ‘DESANCTIMONIOUS’ NICKNAME

Scott’s engagement came after his endorsement of Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Scott, who ended his own White House bid in November, became the third former Republican presidential candidate in the past week to endorse the former president for another term.

Later Sunday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped his bid for the White House and endorsed Trump for president. 

“We need a president who understands the American people are sick and tired of being sick and tired, we need,” Scott said as the crowd responded: “Donald Trump.” 

Scott later told Fox News that “it’s time for us to unite our party so that we make sure that the only target we’re talking about is firing Joe Biden.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“Our country can’t take four more years. I’m not sure we could take ten more months,” he said. “The best way for us to get rid of Joe Biden as our president is to unite our party now behind Donald Trump.” 

Former President Donald Trump stopped by his campaign’s New Hampshire headquarters on Sunday, shortly after opponent Florida governor Ron DeSantis dropped out of the 2024 presidential race.

Speaking to Granite State volunteers, the former president told the crowd as he was leaving that he would stop calling DeSantis “Ron DeSanctimonious.”

“You know…it’s retired,” Trump said to the volunteer.

“Okay, I just said, will I be using the name Ron DeSanctimonious?” he added to the room of people. “I said, that name is officially retired. Thank you.”

FLORIDA GOV. RON DESANTIS DROPS OUT OF 2024 PRESIDENTIAL RACE, ENDORSES TRUMP

Later on Sunday night, Trump told supporters in Rochester, New Hampshire that his opponent “ran a really good campaign.”

“I’d like to take time to congratulate Ron DeSantis and, of course, a really terrific person who I had gotten to know his wife, Casey, for having run a great campaign for president,” Trump said. “He did. He ran a really good campaign.”

“I will tell you, it’s not easy,” he continued. “They think it’s easy doing this stuff, right. It’s not easy.”

The former president also called DeSantis “gracious” by giving Trump his endorsement.

FORMER TRUMP ATTORNEY SAYS IT’S ‘ABSOLUTELY’ POSSIBLE FORMER PRESIDENT IS CONVICTED

“He was very gracious and he endorsed me, so I appreciate it,” Trump added. “I appreciate that. And I also look forward to working with Ron and everybody else to defeat Crooked Joe Biden.”

“We will have to get him out,” the former president continued. “We have to go back. He’s put our country at great peril, at great. So I just want to thank Ron and congratulate him on doing a very good job. It’s a tough situation. It’s a tough thing to do.”

Earlier on Sunday, DeSantis announced the suspension of his campaign in a video on X.

DESANTIS SUSPENDS CAMPAIGN; 2 DAYS TILL NEW HAMPSHIRE, IT’S A 2-PERSON PRIMARY

“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” the Florida governor said. “They watched his presidency get stymied by relentless resistance, and they see Democrats using lawfare to this day to attack him.”

“If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it,” DeSantis said in the video. “But I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don’t have a clear path to victory.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub

Fox News’ Bret Baier caught up with former President Donald Trump in Bedford, New Hampshire on Saturday to discuss the 2024 presidential race ahead of Tuesday’s highly anticipated primary in the state.  

The 2024 frontrunner discussed beating GOP rivals Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who came in second, and former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who came in third in the Iowa primary. 

Trump hit back at Haley after she questioned the former commander-in-chief’s mental capacity after he appeared to mix her up with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during a rally this week. 

“She’s just trying to get a little nasty because she came in third place. She wanted to come in second. And she wasn’t even that close, actually, to second. You know, I have to give that to Ron De-sanctimonious,” Trump said, referring to his penchant for coming up with nicknames for his opponents. Most recently, Trump referred to Haley – the daughter of Indian immigrants – as “Nimbra,” referring to her birth name of “Nimrata.” 

FORMER TRUMP ATTORNEY SAYS IT’S ‘ABSOLUTELY’ POSSIBLE FORMER PRESIDENT IS CONVICTED

Haley earned 21,085 caucus votes, or just under 20% in Iowa, putting her behind second-place finisher Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who had 23,420 votes, or 21.2%. Trump trounced all of his challengers, winning an outright majority at 51%, with 56,260 votes in a historic caucus victory that resoundingly confirmed his frontrunner status. 

That frontrunner status was further cemented later Sunday when DeSantis dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Trump. 

Responding to Haley’s assertion that Trump’s political indictments have become a liability on the campaign trail, Trump dismissed them as “Biden indictments.” 

“He is bad for democracy … He is very dangerous,” Trump said of his Democratic rival in the White House. “He can’t win fair and square. The guy can’t put two sentences together.” 

Trump also took shots at Fani Willis, the Fulton County District Attorney who was accused of having an improper romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she appointed to prosecute the election interference case against the former president. 

“They did this. This is all political stuff, and it’s a very bad thing for our country,” Trump said. “And remember, that goes the other way too. If a Republican gets in … they can do the same thing to a Democrat.” 

On the question of a potential pick for vice president, Trump said: “There’s no rush to that.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

New Hampshire’s first-in-the nation primary comes Tuesday, January 23 – just two days after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he was suspending his campaign. 

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the 2024 presidential race Sunday and endorsed former President Donald Trump in the race, sparking applause from some social media commenters. 

“If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it. But I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don’t have a clear path to victory. Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign,” DeSantis said Sunday in a video posted to his X account Sunday afternoon. 

DeSantis continued that despite previously having disagreements with Trump, he is throwing his support behind the 45th president in his run for the White House this year. 

“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” he said, adding: “He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”

DESANTIS SUSPENDS CAMPAIGN, TWO DAYS TILL NEW HAMPSHIRE IT’S A TWO-PERSON PRIMARY

The announcement was made just before the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, and after Trump easily won the Iowa caucuses last week. 

Some Republicans and conservatives on social media celebrated the move as one that would strengthen Trump’s campaign to defeat President Biden come November, while others thanked DeSantis for his conservative policies on the campaign trail. 

“GREAT move by Governor Ron DeSantis! President @realDonaldTrump is uniting the GOP & we are closer than ever to taking our country back! #Trump2024,” former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake posted on X. 

DESANTIS CANCELS NBC, CNN APPEARANCES SUNDAY OVER SCHEDULING ISSUE AHEAD OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY

Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy, who endorsed DeSantis’ presidential run, said he was proud of the campaign and added “we will restore freedom & American prosperity again.”

The announcement comes just ahead of the New Hampshire primary, where polls show Trump is leading the race against top primary competitor Nikki Haley. 

RON DESANTIS ARGUES TIM SCOTT ENDORSEMENT OF DONALD TRUMP ‘IS A BLOW TO NIKKI HALEY’ 

Trump has 55% support among those likely to vote in the primary, compared to Haley’s 36% support and DeSantis’ 6% support, a Suffolk University, the Boston Globe and NBC10 poll found. Other polls have found a tighter margin between Trump and Haley, including a CNN poll that found Trump has 50% support to Haley’s 39%.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The New Hampshire race will now include only Trump and Haley. 

Last week, former President Trump secured a win in Iowa during the first contest of the 2024 presidential nomination calendar.

“We want to thank the great people of Iowa,” he said in a caucus victory speech in Des Moines. The former president stood at 51% of the ballots and captured the majority of the votes on caucus night.

Many GOP lawmakers are standing in support of Trump as he runs in the 2024 election against his Republican and Democrat opponents, including President Biden and GOP hopeful Nikki Haley.

Here are just a few of the politicians who have endorsed Trump as the GOP 2024 presidential nominee.

TRUMP SAYS LEGAL WOES ARE A BIDEN, DEMOCRAT PARTY SETUP: ‘NEW FORM OF CHEATING’

Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla.

“This is America’s time for choosing,” DeSantis said in a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. “We can choose to allow a border invasion, or we can choose to stop it. We can choose reckless borrowing and spending, or we can choose to limit government and lower inflation. We can choose political indoctrination, or we can choose classical education.”

After suspending his own presidential campaign on Sunday, DeSantis added, “It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance.”

“While I’ve had disagreements with Donald Trump, such as on the coronavirus pandemic and his elevation of [Dr.] Anthony Fauci, Trump is superior to the current incumbent, Joe Biden. That is clear,” DeSantis continued. “I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee, and I will honor that pledge. He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear.”

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.

“In this race, there is one man who has a proven track record of being able to save our country and get us back on track: Donald Trump,” Scalise said. “He has done it once before, and I know he will do it again.”

“I am proud to endorse Donald Trump for president in 2024, and I look forward to working with President Trump and a Republican House and Senate to fight for those families who are struggling under the weight of Biden’s failed policies,” he said.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas

“I am proud to endorse Donald Trump for president of the United States,” Cruz told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on “Hannity.” “I look forward to supporting him enthusiastically.”

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.

Cotton highlighted the safety and strength of America under Trump and how “everything has gone to hell” under President Biden.

“I endorse President Trump and I look forward to working with him to win back the White House and the Senate so we can help hardworking Arkansans suffering from Joe Biden’s disastrous policies.”

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.

“I am honored to stand with Donald J. Trump as he embarks on a mission to restore peace, prosperity and freedom in our great nation,” Cramer wrote. “Lets consolidate Republican support around the leader of our GOP and ensure a Republican victory in 2024. Work with him to Make America Great Again!”

TRUMP CAMPAIGN CONFIDENT NEW HAMPSHIRE GROUND GAME STRATEGY WILL CATAPULT TRUMP TO 3RD PRIMARY WIN IN STATE

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D.

“President Trump is strong on the issues that are important for North Dakota. That includes making America energy dominant, reducing the regulatory burden, securing our border, growing our economy and strong support for our military,” Hoeven wrote on Facebook last week.

Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala.

“One candidate has already proven he’s more than up for the job – because he’s done the job successfully. There is one candidate I know will secure the border – because he’s done it. There is one candidate I know will achieve peace through strength – because he’s done it,” she wrote. “And that’s why President Donald Trump has my endorsement to be our 47th President.”

Trump has received support from every GOP member in Alabama’s congressional delegation.

Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn.

“It’s time for Republicans to unite behind our party’s clear [front-runner,] which is why I am proud to endorse Donald J. Trump for President.”

House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.

On Nov. 11, 2022, Stefanik was the first Republican leader in the chamber to endorse Trump.

“Republican voters determine who is the leader of the Republican Party and it’s very clear President Trump is the leader of the Republican [P]arty. What the media fails to report is that we just won the midterms and flipped the House,” Stefanik told Breitbart News in a statement.

National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson, R-N.C.

Hudson endorsed Trump in 2022, around the same time Stefanik did.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

Last week, Johnson praised the ex-president and said he was key to the GOP winning back the Senate, White House and retaining the House in November.

MEET TOM EMMER, THE GOP MAJORITY WHIP AND NOMINEE FOR HOUSE SPEAKER

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan.

“Our farmers and ranchers feed the world, and Kansans deserve a President who understands that, and a leader who values the energy Americans produce. That is why I’m endorsing President Donald Trump. While others may try to imitate him, only President Trump will put our country back on track on day one,” he said.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

“When Trump was in WH I achieved major policies I had worked on for years (like expanded Child Tax Credit & tough sanctions on regime in Cuba & Venezuela) because we had a President who didn’t cave to special interests or let bureaucrats block us,” Rubio wrote on X.

“I support Trump because that kind of leadership is the ONLY way we will get the extraordinary actions needed to fix the disaster Biden has created,” he added. “It’s time to get on with the work of beating Biden & saving America!”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird

“President Trump’s poll numbers are unprecedented for a Republican running in the Iowa caucuses. So that is great news. The key thing to remember is that the only thing that matters is the one that happens on caucus [night].”

Twenty-four senators, over 116 House members and nine governors have endorsed Trump as the presidential nominee in 2024, according to ABC.

The former president has been barred from the Colorado ballot. The Supreme Court will be hearing oral arguments for the case on Feb. 8.

Twenty-seven states, however, are standing in support of Trump over the ballot fight.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is gearing up for her one-on-one primary battle against former President Donald Trump in New Hampshire after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race on Sunday afternoon. 

“We just heard that Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race. And I want to say to Ron, he ran a great race. He’s been a good governor. And we wish him well,” Haley said at a campaign stop in New Hampshire. 

“Having said that, it’s now one fella and one lady left,” Haley continued, referring to herself and Trump. “There were 14 people in this race, a lot fellas, all the fellas are out, except for this one. And this comes down to what do you want? Do you want more of the same or do you want something new?”

DeSantis dropped out of the presidential race via a video posted to his X account, and threw his support behind Trump and called Haley a “repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism.”

DESANTIS SUSPENDS CAMPAIGN, TWO DAYS TIL NEW HAMPSHIRE IT’S A TWO-PERSON PRIMARY

“If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it. But I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don’t have a clear path to victory. Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign,” DeSantis said.

TRUMP ‘VERY HONORED’ BY DESANTIS ENDORSEMENT AFTER FLORIDA GOVERNOR SUSPENDS PRESIDENTIAL RUN

“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” he said, adding: “He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”

The announcement comes after Trump handily won the Iowa caucuses last week, winning 98 of the 99 counties, and is leading polls ahead of the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday. 

RON DESANTIS ARGUES TIM SCOTT ENDORSEMENT OF DONALD TRUMP ‘IS A BLOW TO NIKKI HALEY’ 

Trump has 55% support among those likely to vote in the primary, compared to Haley’s 36% support and DeSantis’ 6% support, a Suffolk University, the Boston Globe and NBC10 poll found. Other polls have found a tighter margin between Trump and Haley, including a CNN poll that found Trump has 50% support to Haley’s 39%.

DESANTIS CANCELS NBC, CNN APPEARANCES SUNDAY OVER SCHEDULING ISSUE AHEAD OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY

“We’re gonna get our kids reading again and go back to the basics in education. We’re gonna secure our border once and for all,” Haley continued in her remarks to voters after DeSantis dropped out. “And we are going to have a strong America that we can all be proud of. That’s our goal. That’s what we’re doing. We’ve got two days until New Hampshire goes to the polls. And we’re going to make sure that we fight all the way until the last second.”

“May the best woman win,” she continued. 

Trump told Fox News Digital on Sunday that he’s “very honored” DeSantis endorsed his run for the White House, adding he looks forward “to working together with him to beat Joe Biden.” 

“Very honored to have his endorsement,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “I look forward to working together with him to beat Joe Biden, who is the worst and most corrupt president in the history of our country.”

Former President Trump said he is “very honored” by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ endorsement, telling Fox News Digital he is looking forward “to working together with him to beat Joe Biden.” 

FLORIDA GOV. RON DESANTIS DROPS OUT OF 2024 PRESIDENTIAL RACE, ENDORSES TRUMP

DeSantis suspended his 2024 presidential campaign on Sunday, and endorsed Trump. 

“Very honored to have his endorsement,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “I look forward to working together with him to beat Joe Biden, who is the worst and most corrupt president in the history of our country.”

The Florida governor announced his decision to drop out in social media video on X, formally known as Twitter, on Sunday afternoon.

FORMER TRUMP ATTORNEY SAYS IT’S ‘ABSOLUTELY’ POSSIBLE FORMER PRESIDENT IS CONVICTED

“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance.  They watched his presidency get stymied by relentless resistance and they see Democrats using lawfare to this day to attack him,” DeSantis said Sunday. “While I have had disagreements with Donald Trump, such as on the coronavirus pandemic and his elevation of Anthony Fauci, Trump is superior to the current incumbent, Joe Biden. That is clear.” 

DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP TODAY!

DeSantis said Trump has his endorsement “because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear – a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism — that Nikki Haley represents.”

Trump won the Iowa Caucuses last Monday, solidifying his standing as the frontrunner. Trump is leading by double digits in New Hampshire ahead of Haley.

A New Hampshire man received probation after admitting to threatening to kill Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., whom he accused in a voicemail of “coming for the gays.” 

Allan Poller, 24, had already pleaded guilty in October to transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure the person of another. 

He was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $500 fine in federal court on Thursday, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader.

Poller, a Keene State College student at the time, called the Washington, D.C., office of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives on March 29, 2023, and left a voicemail message stating in part, “I just want to let you know, Representative [Name], if you keep on coming for the gays, we’re gonna strike back and I guarantee you, you do not want to f— with us.”

TRUMP MAINTAINS BIG LEAD IN POLLS, NEW ENGLAND NEWSPAPERS ENDORSE HALEY

The FBI affidavit redacted the name of the member of Congress, but Gaetz previously confirmed he was the recipient of the voicemail. 

In an episode of his podcast “Firebrand,” Gatez played out a snippet of Poller making the death threat.  

“We will kill you if that’s what it takes. I will take a bullet to your f—ing head if you f— with my rights anymore. And then if you want to keep going down that path, you know who’s next,” Poller said in the call placed at approximately 12:20 a.m., according to the FBI affidavit. 

Poller, a men’s track athlete for Keene State, according to his profile on the school’s website, was arrested on April 3, 2023. 

Prosecutors say Poller later admitted to placing the call and leaving the message. He allegedly stated to investigators that he had been drinking and left the message after becoming angry while watching videos on the social media application TikTok.

SC CONGRESSMAN TOUTS NIKKI HALEY’S ‘YOUTH,’ HITS TRUMP’S AGE AFTER PELOSI JAN. 6 MIX-UP

Prosecutors previously said the charging statute provided a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. 

Poller “has used the catastrophic effect of his actions as a catalyst to begin a new path in his life,” a sentencing memorandum written by his attorney read, according to WBTS. “He has strengthened his bond with his family and has completely accepted recovery into his life.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office stressed how Poller, “is a young man who has faced dramatic challenges in his life but had no prior contacts with the criminal justice system. He has also already faced significant consequences as a result of his conduct, arrest, and plea in this case.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Gaetz’s office for comment on Sunday. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The FBI and U.S. Capitol Police led the investigation, with assistance provided by the Keene Police Department and the Springfield, Vermont, Police Department. 

Republican Ohio Sen. JD Vance argued 2024 presidential candidate Nikki Haley would likely be unable to survive Democratic attacks if elected the party’s nominee, saying she’s “the candidate that Democrats haven’t teed off on.”

“Nikki does have baggage. She just hasn’t faced the onslaught of years of media attacks, of super PAC attacks that Donald Trump has faced. And frankly, the fact that Trump is still standing and still leading in the polls against Joe Biden suggests he has real political resilience,” Vance told Fox News’ Shannon Bream on “Fox News Sunday.”

Bream aired a clip of her asking New Hampshire voters who they supported ahead of the Granite State’s primary on Tuesday, with one woman explaining she’s voting for Haley because she has “no baggage.” Vance, who is serving as a surrogate for the Trump campaign, pushed back that Haley does have “baggage,” but Democrats have not attacked her, as they have Trump, in recent years. 

FIRST ON FOX: TRUMP ALLY SEN JD VANCE ENDORSES IN OHIO’S 2024 GOP SENATE PRIMARY, BACKING BERNIE MORENO

“I know a lot of people who are choosing Nikki Haley think she’s the low baggage candidate. In reality, she’s the candidate that Democrats haven’t teed off on, but they will tee off on her if she’s the nominee,” Vance said, adding that Haley “won’t be” the nominee.

TRUMP MAINTAINS MASSIVE LEAD IN NEW HAMPSHIRE DAYS AHEAD OF FIRST PRIMARY: POLL

“But if she is [the nominee], she will face exactly what Donald Trump has faced for the past six years, and I don’t think she’ll survive, and I certainly don’t think she’ll win the presidency through it. That’s why we need to elect the guy who’s shown some resilience. That’s why we need to nominate Donald Trump,” he said. 

Trump solidified himself as the Republican frontrunner for 2024 last week, when he handily won the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses. He is now focusing on the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday. 

While some polls, such as one published by American Research Group Inc., showed Haley and Trump tied for support, others have shown Trump with a stronger advantage over the former South Carolina governor. 

HALEY TURNS UP THE HEAT ON TRUMP AS SHE TRIES TO CLOSE THE GAP IN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY

Trump has 55% support among those likely to vote in the primary, compared to Haley’s 36% support and DeSantis’ 6% support, a Suffolk University, the Boston Globe and NBC10 poll found. 

Bream cited the Suffolk poll, as well as a CNN poll that found Trump has 50% support to Haley’s 39%, and noted to Vance that many voters in New Hampshire are undeclared, but vote in the GOP primary. 

TRUMP SAYS NIKKI HALEY ‘HAS NO CHANCE’ AHEAD OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY: ‘MAGA IS NOT GOING TO BE WITH HER’

“There are a couple of newspaper editorials today endorsing Nikki Haley, telling people if you’re independent get out, ‘save the country and vote in that GOP primary.’ I mean, that’s a substantial group of people here. How concerned are you about them showing up and not choosing President Trump on Tuesday?” Bream asked. 

Vance responded that liberals who recently moved out of Massachusetts to New Hampshire would “never” vote for a Republican nominee – whether they be Trump or Haley – and are instead “trying to play spoiler to Donald Trump” and his primary race. 

“I think a lot of them are going to vote for Donald Trump and also liberal… many of them from Massachusetts who are moving to New Hampshire, they’re never going to vote for a Republican nominee, even if it’s Nikki Haley,” Vance said. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“They’re just trying to play spoiler to Donald Trump. But I think Republicans really have to ask ourselves, do we want liberal suburbanites from Massachusetts to choose our nominee? Or do we want to choose our nominee as Republicans and independent-minded conservatives? I think if we choose our nominee, Donald Trump is going to win, and he’s going to win handily,” Vance added. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

President Biden’s principal deputy campaign manager, when pressed about the commander in chief’s mental sharpness, argued the 2024 election “is not going to be about age.” 

“When it comes to the president’s age, we have a simple formula for that, and that’s results,” Quentin Fulks told ABC’s “This Week” host Martha Raddatz. “And you know, age equals wisdom, equals results and experience. And President Biden, because of his age, has come to the table and brought people together from both sides of the aisle to deliver results for the American people, whether it be a historic bipartisan infrastructure bill, whether it has been bringing people to the table for job creation, making sure that inflation is down – the president has been delivering results, and our best answer to this is to continue to communicate about the things that people care about, Americans care about.”

“This election is not going to be about age,” Fulks added. “This election is about freedom and democracy, and the fact that Democrats under President Biden’s leadership believe that people deserve more freedom, not less. And Republicans want to roll that back and rip it away.” 

According to a new ABC News/Ipso poll conducted Jan. 4-8, 69% of respondents do not think Biden has the mental sharpness to be president – up from just 43% in May 2020.  

SC CONGRESSMAN TOUTS NIKKI HALEY’S ‘YOUTH,’ HITS TRUMP’S AGE AFTER PELOSI JAN. 6 MIX-UP

Fulks’ remarks come after former President Trump during a New Hampshire campaign rally on Friday used Nikki Haley’s name when describing allegations about Nancy Pelosi on Jan. 6. The apparent mix-up called attention to how Trump has long alleged Pelosi, as House speaker at the time, turned down 10,000 National Guard troops the day before the Capitol riot. 

TRUMP MIXES UP NIKKI HALEY WITH NANCY PELOSI AT NEW HAMPSHIRE RALLY

Haley branded the mix-up as a gaffe, calling into question Trump’s mental fitness ahead of the New Hampshire primaries, but some conservative voices on X championed how the on-stage remark prompted national news headlines on how Pelosi was allegedly in charge of security while Congress was certifying the 2020 election results. 

Trump, who will turn 78 in June, is just about four years younger than Biden, who will turn 82 in November. 

“I don’t mind being 80, but I’m 77. That’s a big difference,” Trump said at a campaign rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, Saturday.

“It’s not age. Different people, different strokes,” Trump added. “I feel my mind is stronger now than it was 25 years ago. Is that possible? I really do. Now, Biden can’t say that. Look, you know he can’t say that. You know, he can’t say that, you know, there’s something going on.” 

Trump said Biden’s public comments last for a very short period of time, recalling how he mocked Biden last week that “he can never find the stairs” when leaving speaking engagements. 

Some Democrats have also called Biden’s mental sharpness into question.  

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Last week, Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., gained the endorsement of former 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang on Thursday, who, while addressing voters in New Hampshire, said it will be hard for Biden at his age to “reinvent grandpa” and added it was time to upgrade from the predicted Biden vs. Trump rematch that “no one wants.”

Phillips, who is considered to be a moderate Minnesotan, is a long shot to lead the Democratic presidential ticket, but he and Yang were campaigning in the Granite State ahead of the primary on Jan. 23.

Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report. 

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., touted GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley’s “youth,” on Sunday and went after former President Trump’s age ahead of this week’s New Hampshire primaries, highlighting moments when Trump named Haley instead of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., while speaking about Jan. 6 during a rally over the weekend. 

Norman, one of the few elected officials from South Carolina backing former South Carolina Gov. Haley, appeared on “Fox News Sunday,” stressing how Haley, at age 52, is 25 years younger than the 77-year-old Trump. “His policies were great. What he did was great for the country, particularly with what Biden is doing now,” Norman said of Trump, explaining why he’s now supporting Haley instead. “But it’s time for a change – I think the youth – Nikki just turned 52. She’s 25 years younger than Donald Trump.”

“I’m sorry,” he continued. “When you have a president, like, the pressures they’re going to be facing, when you see what they’re going to have to do to attract new talent into the Congress, in the Senate, you’ve got to go to work doing that. Nikki will do that. And, to the other big thing that people need to know, Donald Trump can only give you four years. It’s like a football team can only play half of the game. It’s going to take eight years to get this country straight. But Nikki’s youth and the fact is, she can give eight years. And I would also make the argument is really three years, because the last year of a term is political, like you’re seeing now. And President Trump is going to be tied up in, you know, legal fights.” 

Norman argued that the only reason Trump is criticizing Haley now is “because she’s gaining in the polls and she, he knows, she is a serious threat. And it’s a two-person race now.” 

Trump has argued that with Haley as president, the country would see eight years of war and has called her a globalist. 

TRUMP MIXES UP NIKKI HALEY WITH NANCY PELOSI AT NEW HAMPSHIRE RALLY

“That’s just political talk,” Norman said, noting how Trump chose Haley to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. “Donald Trump knows that. The same thing, you know, he got her confused yesterday with Nancy Pelosi on Jan. 6 with the National Guard. And I would say 25 years ago, he wouldn’t have made that mistake, but he kept saying, Nikki Haley did this, you know, with the National Guard. He was talking about Nancy Pelosi. And that’s another example of, you know, he wouldn’t have made that mistake if he was younger.” 

Trump, while referring to the crowds at a rally in Concord, New Hampshire, Friday, brought up Haley when mentioning the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. 

“By the way, they never report the crowd on Jan. 6, you know, Nikki Haley. Nikki Haley, Nikki Haley, you know, they did, you know, they destroyed all of the information and all of the evidence. Everything deleted it. Destroyed all of it. All of it because lots of things – like Nikki Haley is in charge of security. We offered 10,000 people, soldiers, National Guard. So whatever they want, they turned it down. They don’t want to talk about that. These are very dishonest people. But when I look over here, I am so honored. They said this is a quaint area, area of the state, but it’s quaint. We got a lot of people in this room, this an all time record,” Trump said, prompting applause. 

Trump has long accused Pelosi of refusing National Guard support at the Capitol a day before the riot. 

TRUMP: ALMOST EVERYBODY IN SOUTH CAROLINA HAS ENDORSED ME

Yet after the apparent mix-up, conservative voices on X championed the move. 

“Trump just got the entire media to finally admit Nancy Pelosi was in charge of security on Jan 6,” Jack Posobiec, senior editor of Human Events, wrote to his 2.4 million followers. 

At another rally Saturday in Manchester, New Hampshire, Trump stressed how, “almost every politician from South Carolina is endorsing me,” while surrounded by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, the state’s lieutenant governor and other senior statewide officials, including the state’s attorney general, treasurer and House speaker, as well as U.S. Reps. Joe Wilson, William Timmons and Russell Fry on stage. 

Campaigning elsewhere in the Granite State on Saturday, Haley had gone after Trump’s mental fitness, pointing to remarks he made on Friday. 

“They’re saying he got confused, that he was talking about something else, he’s talking about Nancy Pelosi,” Haley said Saturday, as she campaigned in Keene, New Hampshire. “He mentioned me multiple times in that scenario. The concern I have is – I’m not saying anything derogatory – but when you’re dealing with the pressures of the presidency, we can’t have someone else that we question whether they’re mentally fit to do this… We can’t.”

Speaking at a Bloomberg News forum on Saturday in Manchester, Haley campaign manager Betsy Ankney referenced Haley’s remarks and said Trump “made a pretty apparent gaffe last night.” “It’s a distinction without a difference. It’s Nikki and Nancy,” Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita said to reporters Saturday night. “What’s the difference?”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

At his rally Saturday night in Manchester, Trump said he took a cognitive test and “aced it.”

A day earlier, Sen. Tim Scott, who ended his own 2024 bid in November and was appointed to the Senate by Haley in 2012, endorsed Trump over Haley in a rousing call-and-response speech of his own in New Hampshire. Since entering the race nearly a year ago, Haley has advocated for “mental competency tests” for older politicians, a swipe at both Trump and President Biden. At age 81, Biden has drawn increasing concern over his mental and physical fitness, even from members of his own party raising eyebrows about his public appearances. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

FIRST ON FOX: Animal welfare groups are calling on the Biden administration to address a large number of abandoned pets at the southern border.

Fox News Digital obtained photos and videos of pets in Colony Ridge, Texas, from animal advocacy group Boots on the Ground that were reportedly abandoned by migrants, including some that appear severely neglected or injured.

Scores of animals have been abandoned at the U.S.-Mexico border as illegal immigrants flood into the country in record-breaking numbers. 

Immigrants who are apprehended by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are often forced to leave their animals behind because animals are not allowed inside federal processing centers. 

AS HISTORIC NUMBERS OF MIGRANTS CROSS THE BORDER, THEIR DOGS ARE OFTEN ABANDONED ALONG THE WAY

Chase Scott, spokesperson for Big Dog Ranch Rescue (BDRR), a dog rescue group, told Fox News Digital the “number of abandoned dogs along the border is in the thousands,” and the Biden administration is “doing virtually nothing” to address the situation.

Scott said BDRR “can lead this effort” but needs “donations or help from FEMA to address this issue.” He called on FEMA to provide “a dozen spay [and] neuter vans to stop the overpopulation” and “transport and medical supplies,” so they “can heal and rescue the dogs and get them into loving homes.”

“We need to act now before this becomes completely out of control,” Scott said.

“Colony Ridge is a huge migrant shanty town with starving dogs trying to eat chickens and livestock, so the migrants shoot them and attack them with machetes. The local communities are heartbroken and overwhelmed. They are turning into a Third World [country] with roaming packs of dogs.”

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT POPULATION SOARS UNDER BIDEN: GOVERNMENT DATA

Scott said BDRR is heading to McAllen, Texas, this weekend on a rescue mission for the abandoned dogs after having gone to the Texas border city of Eagle Pass last year.

Scott said the dogs in McAllen, Texas, “are being fed” by the National Guard, “but with the cold fronts, the situation is dire,” and BDRR will be rescuing the dogs there first.

After McAllen, Scott said BDRR will head “into the primary area with the largest issue,” adding “ground zero is Colony Ridge.”

BORDER NUMBERS FOR DECEMBER BREAK MONTHLY RECORD, AS BIDEN TALKS AMNESTY WITH MEXICO

Bianca Gracia, president of Latinos for America and Latinos for Trump, told Fox News Digital what “is happening at Colony Ridge with the abandoned and abused dogs who are voiceless is a tragedy caused by elected officials’ open border policies.

“We are asking America to step up and help us rescue these voiceless furry friends from a life they did not choose.”

Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) told Fox News Digital it has received reports that it’s not just dogs and cats being abandoned. Animals like guinea pigs have been left too.

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

Catie Cryar, spokesperson for PETA, told Fox News Digital that abandonment “is awful — no matter which side of the border it occurs on.”

“PETA has received reports that animals as varied as guinea pigs and small dogs have actually been brought in by people entering the U.S. from Mexico, but we know that the border processing facilities don’t allow it,” Cryar said.

“We have also heard of an informal network of people on the Mexican side who are looking after animals who have been denied entry,” she added. “Many animals are a cherished, integral part of the family and, just like children, should not be separated from that family.

“PETA is calling on the Biden administration to allow animals into the U.S. if they are vaccinated or can be quarantined.”

The White House referred Fox News Digital to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) when asked for comment.

“CBP follows CDC guidance with respect to the admission of dogs and other pets into the country,” a spokesperson for CBP said. “If the pet’s owner is an inadmissible noncitizen in DHS custody and an animal’s owner does not transfer possession to family or friends, U.S. Customs and Border Protection works with local officials from animal health services, such as a local humane shelter, to see if there can be placement for the animal while its owner remains in custody.”

Fox News Digital also reached out to FEMA and the National Guard for comment.

MAYORKAS TELLS BORDER PATROL AGENTS THAT ‘ABOVE 85%’ OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RELEASED INTO US: SOURCES

The shocking photos and footage obtained by Fox News Digital show the harsh reality faced by the dogs and other animals abandoned by their owners as they enter the U.S. at the southern border.

The footage depicts abandoned animals in the migrant community of Colony Ridge, Texas, a collection of subdivisions outside Houston.

Colony Ridge is a controversial locale, having made headlines after being sued by the federal government for allegedly hooking Latino buyers up with seller-financed mortgages to set them up for defaulting on their loans.

Colony Ridge CEO John Harris told Fox News Digital in a statement that “Colony Ridge has done everything conceivably possible to rid the problem of stray dogs and cats and animals throughout the area.

“We have donated consistently $20,000 a year to help solve the problem to the local group that kind of helps spay and neuter and house these animals,” Harris said. “So, we are doing our part without question.”

Harris noted that Liberty County, which houses Colony Ridge, is a “rural area” that doesn’t have an animal control group, and that if one goes “anywhere in a rural county in America, and especially here in Texas, you’re going to have stray dogs and cats and other animals.”

“That’s just a fact,” Harris said. “But we are doing everything we possibly can to curb the problem.”

Harris also said “90%” of Colony Ridge residents “come from Harris County,” 40 miles to the south.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“The animal issue is not an immigrant issue. It’s an issue that stems from bad owners who need to understand how to care for their animals,” Harris said. “We are providing that education and going above and beyond what is needed to help resolve this problem.”

The Community Property Owners Association of Colony Ridge told Fox News Digital that This is Houston, a nonprofit organization, has been assisting in the new development since 2021 due to Liberty County not having animal control services.

MANCHESTER, N.H. – With two days to go until New Hampshire’s Republican presidential primary, two new polls indicate former President Donald Trump remains the commanding front-runner, with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley behind by double-digits, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a distant third.

Trump, who is running a third straight time for the White House, stands at 50% support in a University of New Hampshire/CNN poll released Sunday morning. 

Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, grabbed 39% support. And DeSantis, once the clear runner-up to Trump in most polling, was at 6%.

Trump’s 11-point lead over Haley in the new survey is up from a seven-point advantage in the previous UNH/CNN poll, which was conducted earlier in the month.

HALEY TURNS UP THE HEAT ON TRUMP AS SHE TRIES TO CLOSE THE GAP IN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY

Meanwhile, the former president grabbed 55%, according to a daily tracking poll released Sunday morning by Suffolk University, the Boston Globe and NBC10 in Boston.

The former president’s support edged up two points from Saturday’s tracking poll.

Haley stood at 36%, with her support unchanged from the previous day. And DeSantis pulled in 6% support, edging down a point over the past 24 hours.

Both polls were conducted entirely after Trump scored a convincing victory in Monday night’s low-turnout Iowa caucuses, the first contest on the GOP presidential nominating calendar.

TRUMP RUNNING MATE SPECULATION SWIRLS AHEAD OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY

A poll from Saint Anselm College that was also conducted after the Iowa caucuses also indicates Trump with a lead in the mid-teens over Haley and DeSantis in single digits in New Hampshire.

Meanwhile, a new survey released Friday from Marist College indicates Haley performing better against President Biden than either Trump or DeSantis in hypothetical general election matchups in November in New Hampshire, which is a key battleground state.

The survey indicates Haley edging Biden by three points, while the president tops Trump by seven points and DeSantis by nine points. Haley repeatedly emphasized on the campaign trail that she would perform better against Biden in the general election than Trump would fare against the president.

TIM SCOTT ENDORSEMENT OF TRUMP LATEST SIGN GOP CONSOLIDATING AROUND FORMER PRESIDENT

Both new surveys indicate Trump dominating among registered Republicans, with Haley grabbing majority support among independents, who are known as undeclared voters in New Hampshire. Independents can vote in either major party’s contest, and have long played an influential role in the state’s storied presidential primary.

“We need big margins, “Trump urged his supporters as he spoke at a rally Saturday night in Manchester, which is New Hampshire’s largest city. “Because we have to send real unity as a message.” 

But the former president’s campaign appeared to be tempering expectations.

“A win is a win,” Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita told reporters ahead of the rally. “A win by five, a win by six, a win by seven.”

And LaCivita argued that Haley should end her campaign if she doesn’t win on Tuesday, saying “she should drop out.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

But Haley campaign manager Betsy Ankney told reporters on Saturday that they’re moving full speed ahead to South Carolina, which holds the next major contest in the GOP presidential nominating calendar, on Feb. 24.

Ankney said Haley will hold a large event in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina on Wednesday, the same day that the campaign will launch a $4 million statewide ad blitz.

The Suffolk University poll questioned 500 likely Republican presidential primary voters in New Hampshire on Friday and Saturday, with an overall sampling error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

The UNH/CNN survey was conducted January 16-19, with 2,348 New Hampshire adults questioned. The poll’s overall sampling error is plus or minus two percentage points.

The UNH/CNN survey also polled the state’s Democratic presidential primary. 

Sixty-three percent of those likely to vote in the Democratic contest said they would write in President Biden’s name, with Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota at 10% support and self-help author Marianne Williamson at 9%.

With New Hampshire holding an unsanctioned Democratic presidential primary, the president declined to place his name on the ballot. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

The infamous “Access Hollywood” tape will not be presented to New York jurors tasked with considering a defamation case against former President Donald Trump leveled by writer E. Jean Carroll.

Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, revealed that the jury would be presented with neither the tape nor two other women who accused Trump of abuse. The revelation means Trump’s testimony in the case is likely to arrive sooner than expected, possibly Monday, one day before the Republican primary in New Hampshire.

Kaplan argued that she wants the trial to remain “focused” on Carroll’s accusations, not Trump’s other alleged sex crimes.

The new trial comes after a federal jury in New York City decided last year that Trump was not liable for rape but was liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The former president has been ordered to pay Carroll $5 million.

TRUMP CANNOT ASSERT PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY IN E JEAN CARROLL DEFAMATION LAWSUIT, APPEALS COURT RULES

Carroll, 80, alleged that Trump raped her at the Bergdorf Goodman department store across the street from Trump Tower in Manhattan sometime in 1996. According to Carroll, the two had a chance run-in at the store, where Trump was shopping for a gift for “a girl.” She said he asked for her advice, and the two shopped together before he pushed her into a dressing room and assaulted her.

MELANIA TRUMP ANNOUNCES PASSING OF ‘BELOVED’ MOTHER: ‘WE WILL MISS HER BEYOND MEASURE’

Trump denied the claim repeatedly, leading Carroll to sue him for defamation, arguing that his denial had harmed her reputation.

Carroll plans to testify about the damage to her career and reputation that resulted from Trump’s public statements. She seeks $10 million in compensatory damages and millions more in punitive damages.

MELANIA TRUMP SPENDS CHRISTMAS WITH AILING MOTHER, MISSING MAR-A-LAGO CELEBRATION

Trump announced his own plans to testify in a post on social media last week.

“I should be in New Hampshire, campaigning and fighting for our Country, and I will be later today, but for now I had to spend time in a Federal Courthouse with a Trump Hating, Radical Left Judge, on a case that is another politically biased WITCH HUNT — ONE DAY AFTER IOWA, AND JUST AHEAD OF THE IMPORTANT NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY,” Trump wrote. “THIS HOAX, WHICH THE ‘BULLY’ JUDGE CHOSE TO HAVE AS TWO TRIALS INSTEAD OF MERGING INTO ONE, IS A DISGRACE, AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT. His former Law Clerk(?) is on the other side.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Carroll’s is one of many legal hurdles facing Trump ahead of the 2024 election. He also faces four indictments on charges stemming from Florida, New York City, Georgia and Washington, D.C.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report

New York City Mayor Eric Adams vetoed a controversial city council bill that would require police officers to document every “investigative encounter” with the public. 

At a press conference Friday, Adams said the proposed legislation, known as Intro. 586-A or the “How Many Stops Act,” could slow NYPD response times, undermine community-oriented policing, and add tens of millions of dollars in overtime to the NYPD budget. Namely, he took issue with how the proposed legislation would force New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers to spend more time filling out reports after Level 1 interactions with the public instead of patrolling the street and keeping the public safe.

“As young men, my brother and I were beaten by the police in the basement of a local precinct, but I turned my pain into purpose and joined the police force to effect change from within the system. And, in my time as a police officer and throughout my career in public service, I have fought for transparency and against abusive policing tactics that targeted communities of color. While Intro. 586 has good intentions behind it, the bill is misguided and compromises our public safety,” Adams said in a statement.

“Our administration supports efforts to make law enforcement more transparent, more just, and more accountable, but this bill will handcuff our police by drowning officers in unnecessary paperwork that will saddle taxpayers with tens of millions of dollars in additional NYPD overtime each year, while simultaneously taking officers away from policing our streets and engaging with the community,” he siad. “That is why I am vetoing this legislation today. I ask my colleagues in government to please work with our administration to improve public safety because New Yorkers want their police out on patrol — taking criminals off our streets and keeping them safe.”

DANIEL PENNY’S ATTORNEY CONFIDENT HE WILL BE ‘FULLY EXONERATED’ AFTER JUDGE DENIES MOTION TO DISMISS CHARGES

Adams cited serial stabbing suspect 27-year-old Jermain Rigueur, accused of at least five stabbings within about a week, arguing the bill would impede such quick arrests, FOX 5 reported. 

The bill, co-sponsored by New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, passed the council in December. It would require the NYPD to log and report basic information on level one, two, and three investigative encounters between the police and civilians. Officers would report on the race, age, and gender of the person approached, any factors leading to the interaction, and its outcomes. But NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban countered that the NYPD is already the country’s “most intently watched, deeply scrutinized, and openly transparent law enforcement agency,” saying the measure vetoed by Adams “is an overreach that would result in the unintended consequence of literally slowing down the city’s progress.” 

NYC MAYOR BUILDS HEFTY LEGAL WAR CHEST TO BATTLE FBI INVESTIGATION

“Each day and night, NYPD officers carry on the dangerous, critical work of fighting crime on the streets. Terrorist plots have also been thwarted, and there is a renewed commitment among our rank and file to further build trust and strengthen relationships in every community,” Caban said in a statement. “These vital efforts will continue — and must continue, unimpeded by bureaucratic time-wasting tasks — because that is what New Yorkers expect and deserve.”

“On our watch, there is a continuation of lower overall crime, including a reduction in bellwether indicators like murder, burglary, and assault. We just ended a year in which NYPD officers reduced shooting incidents citywide by a factor not seen in nearly 30 years,” Caban added. “And as of this week, index crimes in New York City have dropped another 5 percent compared to last year — and an incredible 74 percent from three decades ago.” 

At a press conference of his own, Williams accused Adams and the NYPD of being “fearmongers who mislead the public.” 

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

He and other councilmembers say the bill is meant to address the “longstanding inequities” faced by Black New Yorkers. 

“The fact that Mayor Adams is getting his Trump on right now makes this even more difficult than it has to be,” Williams said, according to FOX 5. 

Adams also vetoes a separate city council bill aimed at banning solitary confinement.