In a recent poll conducted by USA TODAY/Suffolk University, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley has made significant strides on the national stage, positioning herself as a formidable

alternative to former President Donald Trump's dominance within the GOP. Haley's support has surged to 11% among registered voters intending to participate in GOP primaries and caucuses, marking a notable increase from her 4% standing in a previous USA TODAY/Suffolk poll conducted in June. Her rise in popularity now places her just one percentage point behind Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida, whose support has decreased from 23% to 12% over the past four months.

Despite Haley and DeSantis's gains, Donald Trump continues to hold a commanding lead with 58% of the polled respondents supporting him, representing a 10-point increase from previous data. The survey, conducted among 309 Republican and Republican-leaning voters via landline and cell phone from Tuesday through Friday, carries a margin of error of plus or minus 5.6 percentage points.

Nikki Haley has already pulled ahead of Ron DeSantis in the key early primary states of New Hampshire and South Carolina, setting the stage for an intriguing battle between the two candidates. Their rivalry has unfolded in the public eye, with public disagreements over Mideast policy and private efforts to court influential Republican donors.

Recently, Governor DeSantis accused Nikki Haley of endorsing the admission of refugees from war-torn Gaza to the United States if she were president, leading to a political action committee affiliated with DeSantis running ads echoing this allegation. Haley swiftly refuted the claim, stating that she did not support such an idea and accused DeSantis of misrepresenting her prior statements.

One respondent in the poll, Tarek Ellaicy from Dunlap, Illinois, expressed her inclination towards Nikki Haley, highlighting her experience, moderation, and her potential to bridge political divides. She noted, "She has experience; she's moderate; she's in the middle. At the end of the day, she could bring the country together."

Among the other Republican candidates, none managed to secure more than 3% in the poll. Notably, all of them experienced minor declines in their support since the June survey. Figures like South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy polled at 3%, while former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and talk-show host Larry Elder all garnered 1% of support.

The poll unveiled intriguing insights into the demographics of Haley and DeSantis supporters. Haley exhibited stronger appeal among men and showcased particular strength in the Midwest and Northeast. She also garnered more support from college graduates and political independents, while DeSantis found greater backing among registered Republicans. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.