AP Photo/Matt Rourke; AP Photo/Charles Krupa
- Donald Trump's 2016 primary win in New Hampshire was driven by his support among independents.
- But on Tuesday, this critical bloc is poised to back former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
- The state's voting laws allow independents to vote in the GOP primary — which could give Haley a huge lift.
When Donald Trump first ran for the presidency in 2016, he heavily played up his status as a political outsider, arguing that a businessman was best suited to steer the nation's economy and deal with foreign counterparts on the world stage.