Trump seeks a big victory, Haley tries to stop him as New Hampshire votes

Voters in New Hampshire will decide whether to hand Donald Trump a glide path to the Republican presidential nomination or bolster rival Nikki Haley's long-shot bid to topple him on Tuesday in a pivotal primary election.

The former US president and the former South Carolina governor made their final pitches to voters in what became a two-person race after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, once seen as the party's best bet to take on Trump, dropped out and endorsed the New York businessman.

Polls show Trump with a wide lead over Haley, who needs a victory or a strong second place showing in New Hampshire to carry her to the next nominating contest in South Carolina, her home state, where Trump is also dominant in the polls. The former president achieved a record-setting victory in Iowa's first-in-the-nation contest last week.

A resounding win in New Hampshire would pave the way for him to secure the nomination and represent a remarkable show of force early in the nominating process, a sign that Republican voters wish to return him to the White House despite multiple criminal counts against him, two impeachments and a chaotic tenure as commander-in-chief. Trump, who is balancing campaign stops with appearances in various courts, denies wrongdoing.

The Republican nominee will face President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, in the general election in November.