Ambassador Nikki Haley has twice as much support as her fellow South Carolinian GOP presidential contender, Senator Scott, in a recent survey of their home state. Meanwhile, Governor DeSantis has fallen to fifth place in New Hampshire as President Trump dominates early-state polling.

In a September Fox Business poll of South Carolina voters, Ms. Haley polled in second place, at 18 percent support, up from 14 percent in July. Mr. Scott polled in fourth place at 9 percent, down from 10 percent. 

“While none of Trump’s rivals are within striking distance in South Carolina,” pollster Daron Shaw tells Fox News, “Haley is emerging as a highly viable alternative for voters growing concerned about Trump’s mounting legal troubles.”

Mr. Trump is maintaining a healthy lead over Ms. Haley, with 46 percent support. He also was at 46 percent in July. Mr. DeSantis was in third place at 10 percent, down from 13 percent. 

“Haley’s budding coalition in South Carolina is illustrative of what she probably needs to do more broadly,” Mr. Shaw adds. “Her hope is to be acceptable to conservatives while exciting more moderate Republicans and independents, who see her as strong and experienced but without Trump’s baggage — and threading that needle is tricky, at best.”

In a survey from another early state, New Hampshire, Mr. DeSantis fell even further, according to a new survey from CNN and the University of New Hampshire.

The survey found that Mr. Trump enjoys 39 percent support and is followed by businessman Vivek Ramaswamy at 13 percent, Ms. Haley at 12 percent, Governor Christie at 11 percent, and Mr. DeSantis at 10 percent. Since CNN and the University of New Hampshire’s July poll, Mr. DeSantis’s support has dropped by 13 points.

In other early states, Mr. Trump is dominating as well. A Fox Business and Beacon Research and Shaw and Company Research September survey found that Mr. Trump enjoys 46 percent support in Iowa. Mr. DeSantis was second at 15 percent and Ms. Haley was third at 11 percent. 

While the first primaries are still months away, it appears as if Mr. Trump is beginning to turn his attention toward the general election. 

The former president has triangulated positions on both the United Auto Workers strike and abortion that are unusual for a Republican. Regarding the strike, Mr. Trump has called on employees to abandon their union leadership and support him. On abortion, Mr. Trump has come out against a six-week ban, calling the policy “terrible” on NBC.

On both of these issues, other candidates have staked out positions to Mr. Trump’s right, like Ms. Haley and Mr. Scott, who have both come out against the striking union members. Mr. Trump’s comment on the six-week abortion ban was directed specifically at Mr. DeSantis, who signed such a ban earlier this year, though other candidates have staked out similar positions.