Article Summary
Donald Trump was joined by leaders from South Carolina at a rally in Manchester, New Hampshire. Statewide officials, including South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, the state’s lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, House speaker, and U.S. Representatives Joe Wilson, William Timmons, and Russell Fry, endorsed Trump on stage. This comes a day after Trump received an endorsement from South Carolina Senator Tim Scott. Trump’s show of strength comes ahead of the New Hampshire primary and is seen as another blow to Nikki Haley, who is hoping to turn the race into a two-person contest against Trump.
Trump Displays Show of Strength Ahead of New Hampshire Primary
Donald Trump assembled South Carolina leaders, including Governor Henry McMaster, in a striking show of force prior to the New Hampshire primary. The rally, held at NHU Arena in Manchester, took place on Saturday evening, promising a fierce competition in the upcoming decisive early contest.
“Almost every politician from South Carolina is endorsing me,” Trump proudly announced. The South Carolinians urged New Hampshire voters to secure a win for Trump before proceeding to their state’s significant early contest next month.
The collective show of support comes as a significant blow to Nikki Haley, who hopes to gain a strong foothold in New Hampshire and turn the race into a two-person contest against Trump. This follows the recent endorsement of Trump by South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, further consolidating Trump’s grip on the state’s political power.
In response to Saturday’s event, Haley responded humorously, “I’m sorry, is that the person I ran against for governor and beat? Just checking.” Haley campaign manager, Betsy Ankney, brushed off these endorsements, suggesting that they have never been Haley’s main focus.
Trump, during the rally, criticized both Haley and New Hampshire’s voting laws, which permit unaffiliated voters to participate in either the Republican or Democratic primary. In his appeal to voters, Trump said, “Don’t listen to polls. Get out and vote. We need a big win against these terrible people.”
Haley drew attention to a mistake made by Trump at his rally, where he incorrectly suggested that she had been responsible for Capitol security during the infamous Jan. 6, 2021 incident. She was not present at the Capitol that day. Haley pointed out, “They’re saying he got confused… We can’t have someone else where we question whether they’re mentally fit to do this.”
Trump defended his mental acuity, stating he took a cognitive test and “aced it.” He added, “I feel my mind is stronger now than it was 25 years ago.” Despite the massive support from South Carolina’s top Republicans, some voters remain committed to other candidates.
Sandra Chase, an ardent Republican, expressed her support for GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis at an event in Lexington, South Carolina. DeSantis, who placed second in leadoff Iowa, has been campaigning this weekend in South Carolina rather than New Hampshire, which is seen as more favorable to Haley.
Chase, a former Trump supporter, stated, “I just want to pick the best candidate, and I think the best candidate is Ron DeSantis. But everybody is allowed to support whoever they want to support.”
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