Trump and DeSantis set for Granite State showdown.

Republican primary front runners Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis are set to hold dueling campaign events in New Hampshire on Tuesday. Both candidates view the Granite State as a crucial opportunity to gain an edge in the race.

Trump sees the New Hampshire primary, which follows Iowa’s caucuses, as “an early chance to clear the crowded field of rivals,” similar to his successful 2016 primary victory, as reported by the New York Times. On the other hand, DeSantis hopes that “New Hampshire will be the primary that winnows the Republican field to two.”

According to a recent poll, DeSantis had a lead over Trump in New Hampshire as recently as January. However, in recent months, the Florida governor has slipped in the polls, and his super PAC took his campaign ads off the air in May. Trump now holds a commanding 34-point lead over DeSantis, according to a New Hampshire Journal poll conducted this month.

DeSantis’s biggest challenge is the large number of candidates in the field. The Times notes that long-shot Republican hopefuls are gaining traction in consolidating some of the anti-Trump vote.

“Right now, Trump is the guy to beat in New Hampshire,” Republican strategist Dave Carney told Politico. “It doesn’t mean he can’t be beat. But right now, no, no one’s beating him.”

While DeSantis attends a town hall, Trump will be appearing at a New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women event. This has caused some backlash among local officials against DeSantis.

“It has always been a New Hampshire hallmark to be considerate when scheduling events,” said Christine Peters, the events director of the women’s group. “To have a candidate come in and distract from the most special event we hold in the year is unprecedented.”

“If there’s one thing you don’t do in New Hampshire, it’s piss off the grassroots women,” an adviser to an undisclosed rival campaign told Politico.

However, the DeSantis campaign is “showing some signs of recalibrating,” according to Politico. A campaign adviser mentioned that the freeze on campaign ads is only temporary.

The New Hampshire primary is scheduled to take place early next year.