Republican candidate Nikki Haley carrying “momentum” into the Republican primaries despite former president Donald Trump leading in the polls.

Iowa Republicans will be the first to vote for a presidential candidate in the 2024 US election on January 16.

Mr Trump is heavily favoured to win, holding a 34-point lead, according to a Fox Business poll.

According to the poll of Iowa GOP caucus-goers, Mr Trump is polling at 52 per cent, Ron DeSantis at 18 per cent, Nikki Haley at 16 per cent, Vivek Ramaswamy is at seven per cent and Chris Christie is at three per cent.

“I’ll just note that there is a momentum candidate in the Republican primaries and that’s Nikki Haley,” Mr Ware told Sky News Australia.

“She’s got a steep hill, a mountain to climb, an Everest, but she’s the one with all the juice behind her right now.”