Will Donald Trump lock it up? 5 factors to watch in the pivotal New Hampshire primary

Former President Donald Trump aims to assert his influence in the Republican Party and secure his path to the GOP nomination as he competes against Nikki Haley in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday.

Nikki Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations, is in a crucial position, needing a win in New Hampshire to have a chance at challenging Trump for the nomination.

Now that the Republican field has narrowed to just two major contenders, Haley has the head-to-head matchup with Trump that she has been seeking. However, overcoming Trump's control over the primary race may be challenging, and a victory for Trump in New Hampshire could potentially end Haley's campaign.

As voters in the Granite State head to the polls, here are five key things to watch during Tuesday's New Hampshire primary.

If Trump wins in New Hampshire on Tuesday, it could deal a significant blow in the early stages of the Republican presidential primary. This victory might even lead to Nikki Haley exiting the race, giving Trump a nearly unbeatable position for the nomination well before Super Tuesday. New Hampshire was expected to be a tougher challenge for Trump than Iowa. Iowa saw Trump with a substantial 30-percentage-point victory, but New Hampshire's demographics, including a sizable population of independents and college-educated voters, make it a different battleground for him.

Despite its history of challenging Iowa's outcomes, New Hampshire was often considered the one state with the potential to slow down Trump's progress toward securing the GOP nomination. However, as the New Hampshire primary approaches, Trump appears to be gaining momentum despite various legal challenges.

In recent polls, Trump leads over Haley, holding a 57% to 38% advantage in a Suffolk University/NBC10 Boston/Boston Globe daily tracking poll. Another poll from CNN and the University of New Hampshire shows Trump leading 50% to 39%. This indicates a clear momentum for Trump heading into the New Hampshire primary night.