“Almost every politician from South Carolina is endorsing me,” Trump declared.
Hampshire Donald Trump surrounded himself with leaders from Nikki Haley’s home state in a show of strength ahead of Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary.
Trump was joined at a rally at the NHU Arena in Manchester Saturday night by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, the state’s lieutenant governor, and a slew of other senior officials, including the state’s attorney general, treasurer, and House speaker. The statewide officials, along with U.S. Reps. Joe Wilson, William Timmons, and Russell Fry appeared on stage with Trump.
“Almost every politician from South Carolina is endorsing me,” Trump declared.
The South Carolinians urged the voters to carry Trump to a win in New Hampshire before the contest moves to their state and its decisive early contest set for next month.
“If you do that and you win by a big margin here, we’ll finish the job in South Carolina,” said Murrell Smith, the speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives.
The appearances are yet another blow from South Carolina against Haley, who is hoping her appeal among independent and unaffiliated voters will propel her to a strong enough finish in New Hampshire to turn the race into a two-person contest against Trump.
On Friday, the former president and GOP front-runner received the endorsement of South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who joined him at a rally in Concord. Scott dropped his own bid for the Republican nomination in November. A dozen years ago, Haley, then serving as governor of their state, elevated Scott from the House by appointing him as senator, making him one of the nation’s most prominent Black Republicans.
McMaster and other top officials had already endorsed Trump.
