JOHN YANG: Good evening.

Iúm John Yang.

On this Sunday before the New Hampshire primary, the Republican presidential field has narrowed.

Late this afternoon, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ended his candidacy and endorsed Donald Trump.

He made the announcement on X the platform formerly known as Twitter.

GOV.

RON DESANTIS (R) Florida: Itús clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance.

While Iúve had disagreements with Donald Trump, such as on the Coronavirus pandemic and his elevation of Anthony Fauci, Trump is superior to the current incumbent Joe Biden.

JOHN YANG: This makes the contest for the Republican presidential nomination of two person race.

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haleyús the only other competitor than Trump.

Lisa Desjardins has been in New Hampshire for the last few days.

Right now sheús in Hampton, New Hampshire.

Lisa, I know this happened relatively late.

But I also know youúve probably been working the phones since it happened.

What does this do to the race?

LISA DESJARDINS: Well, you ask former President Trump and reporters did ask him a short time ago what this means characteristically for President Trump said he had the votes regardless.

But for Nikki Haley, while some of her supporters say this gives her an opportunity to win over some new voters, that truth is talking to those in her inner circle.

They do believe that most of DeSantisús voters will go with former President Trump, however they want to see any bump they can because here in New Hampshire, wow.

Right now, Iúm told by those close to Nikki Haley that they think she will come in second.

The margin will matter.

The closer she can get to former President Trump here, the longer she has in this campaign, the more of a chance they say she can prove herself in South Carolina.

So how much does it matter?

It is probably a matter of margins.

And it might be a small one because really enamored of this, John, thatús the reason DeSantis is dropping out.

His margins of support here in New Hampshire and going forward in South Carolina were small, and itús not clear he had the money despite initially having tens of millions of dollars at his disposal a Super PAC with over $100 million.

This campaign imploded.

And itús not clear that even has big enough margins to really make a massive difference in the campaign ahead for those who are left.

JOHN YANG: Letús talk about the dynamics of the campaign.

How does this change campaigning and the message perhaps for both Nikki Haley and Donald Trump and moving ahead moving forward after New Hampshire?

LISA DESJARDINS: Well, for former President Trump, he already is trying to focus On South Carolina for a couple of reasons thatús because New Hampshire is his most competitive state may be the last place that he faces any kind of real competition if you ask him and those around him.

In fact, we went to a rally last night here in Manchester, New Hampshire, there if he introduced officials from South Carolina there, but what I noticed that was important, John was the size of the crowd, I did an actual headcount.

And I counted over 4,100 people.

Thatús significant, because in that same venue, four years ago, I saw 12,000 people come out for Donald Trump, and he has more events this year, and that, but there could be an enthusiasm question for him going ahead.

And when you ask Trump voters what they care about, is the border, some cultural issues like transgender, but above it all is the economy.

CAMILLE DAVIS: I knew right from the beginning, because he has such great business plans, that he would make a great leader and he did.

His opponents say there is a great risk and that he brings chaos.

Some people seem as divisive.

Weúre in chaos right now.

Right?

We have, you know, the cost of living is going up incredibly.

Thereús violence and chaos everywhere.

LISA DESJARDINS: Now, the latest FBI statistics newly out from last year actually show that violent crime is down last year.

And in fact, we have been below pre pandemic levels.

Murder itself is plummeting in the United States.

So this idea is out of step.

Itús a disconnect with the reality right now as far as crime, and in especially in most cities in America.

Now, as for the cost of living, also new statistics there, John show that inflation has been improving, it is still around three to 4 percent.

But as dramatically down from 2020, when we saw at the seven 8 percent levels, itús still higher than the Federal Reserve was 2 percent.

And I will tell you, people are still feeling that though.

Rather, the levels are going down here.

I just spoke to someone in a bar, just I can see right across the way and told me he said $110 to fill up his gas tank.

And that is one reason he plans to vote for Donald Trump.

So all of this is issues about for Joe Biden, letús face it also issues for Nikki Haley, JOHN YANG: Speaking of Joe Biden there is a Democratic primary on Tuesday.

But President Biden is not on the ballot.

Why is that and who is on the ballot?

LISA DESJARDINS: Let me explain the calendar here because this is incredibly unusual.

First of all, the Democratic Party announced their schedule that they approved for the Democrats for their primaries put in South Carolina first.

That was something President Biden endorsed February 3, and then youúre going to have Nevada and New Hampshire on February 6 after that, followed by Michigan, and then later on Super Tuesday.

Well, New Hampshire has a loss aid and has to be the first primary in the country rejected the Democratic Partyús date, and instead decided to move their own primary up to where it is now on January 23.

As punishment, John, the Democratic National Party said it will withhold delegates from the state of New Hampshire.

And President Biden made the decision not to appear on the ballot at all.

So some of his allies in this state are starting on their own a volunteer effort to write him in.

The ballot has almost two dozen names on it.

So people must write him in at the bottom.

Trying to edge him out in this state is Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips seems like a long shot.

But I got to tell you, the first surprise Iúve had on this campaign trail was an event he just had where he had a true surge of people.

Weúll see if they come out and if he has a chance to upset a right and Joe Biden on Tuesday.

JOHN YANG: We could go Lisa, you were talking to voters in Iowa where turnout it turned out was relatively low.

How did the feeling and the mood youúre hearing in New Hampshire compared to what you heard in in Iowa.

LISA DESJARDINS: It is almost night and day still cool, but much more excitement here.

You see yard signs all around the state.

And if you just walk into any restaurant, you talk to someone at a coffee shop or at a gas station, theyúre tuned in and theyúre planning to vote.

In Iowa, most people you talk to were not tuned in and were not planning to vote.

They had a snowstorm but it felt like it was more than not there.

So more excitement here, Iúd say or at least people planning to vote more than an Iowa.

JOHN YANG: Lisa Desjardins, the excitement in New Hampshire.

Thank you very much.

LISA DESJARDINS: Youúre welcome.

JOHN YANG: And Lisa will be reporting from New Hampshire for Tuesday nightús live coverage of the primary starting at 11:00 p.m. Eastern here on PBS.