US: Nikki Haley congratulates Trump after his projected win in New Hampshire Republican primary

"I want to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory tonight. He earned it, and I want to acknowledge that," the former South Carolina governor said in New Hampshire, shortly after CNN projected that Trump would come out on top in the first-in-the-nation primary.

As the counting begins in New Hampshire, early trends project former US President Donald Trump to win the New Hampshire GOP primary, The Hill reported, citing Decision Desk HQ.

The Hill showed Trump leading with 53.8 per cent votes and Haley trailing at 45.5 per cent with 26 per cent of the votes counted.

However, Haley said that the GOP contest was "far from over" with many states left to vote, as she looked forward to her home state of South Carolina, which hosts its Republican primary on February 24, according to CNN.

Moreover, Nikki Haley stressed that Trump will have " a harder time" in the Republican primary in her home state of South Carolina next month after the former president was projected to win Tuesday's contest in New Hampshire.

"South Carolina voters don't want a coronation. They want an election, and we're going to give them one because we are just getting started," Haley, a former Palmetto State governor, said.

The New York Times, on the other hand, has shown Trump winning the primary by securing 52.5 per cent of votes and 11 delegates, while Haley managing 46.6 per cent votes and six delegates.

Trump's win in the Granite State is especially damaging to Haley because she had invested much of her time and resources in the state, even notching the endorsement of popular Governor Chris Sununu, as per The Hill.

Polling at one point showed Haley trailing Trump by just single digits.

But polling in recent days showed Haley facing a tough hill to climb in toppling Trump, with a polling average of New Hampshire surveys from Decision Desk HQ and The Hill showing Trump at 51 per cent and Haley at 37 per cent. (ANI)