NIKKI HALEY AND THE QUEST FOR ‘CLOSE.’ Epping, New Hampshire — On Sunday afternoon, Nikki Haley finally got what she wanted: a one-on-one race with former President Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination. Throughout the day, there had been rumors going around the Haley campaign and the crowds at her events that Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) was going to drop out of the race. Nobody knew for sure. By the time of one of Haley’s last events of the day, at a place called Brown’s Lobster Pound in Seabrook, the news had become official.

“He ran a great race,” Haley said of DeSantis. “He’s been a good governor, and we wish him well.” With those 15 words, Haley dispensed with the man who once seemed the greatest hope for those who wanted to defeat Trump. Then she added: “Having said that, it’s now one fella and one lady left. … This comes down to: What do you want? Do you want more of the same, or do you want something new?”