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Three days earlier than the New Hampshire major, former President Donald J. Trump introduced a handful of particular visitors onstage at his largest rally within the state this yr: a slew of South Carolina Republicans.
In a present of drive meant to undermine his foremost rival for the Republican presidential nomination, Nikki Haley, the previous governor of South Carolina, the out-of-state guests instructed 1000’s of individuals in an enviornment in Manchester, N.H., that that they had made the journey to induce New Hampshire voters to reject Ms. Haley and unite behind Mr. Trump, so as to deliver a swift finish to the Republican major.
“We’re right here for one cause,” Gov. Henry McMaster, who succeeded Ms. Haley within the governor’s mansion, mentioned in a thick Southern drawl. He then quoted the Spice Women: “What we’re right here to do is inform you what we wish in South Carolina, what we actually, really need.”
In one other election cycle, the scene might need certified as weird: a handful of out-of-towners whose major election won’t happen for one more month telling New Hampshire residents, who satisfaction themselves on their “dwell free or die” independence, to heed their name to finish the race for the Republican nomination earlier than it even reaches their state.
And the group was prepared to pay attention. Mr. McMaster concluded his speech by crying: “New Hampshire is for Trump. South Carolina is simply too. We’ll see you on the end line!” A person within the crowd shouted again, “God bless South Carolina!”
The touring pack of South Carolina Republicans provided sturdy proof of the problem that Ms. Haley and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida face as they attempt to get a foothold within the race after Mr. Trump’s decisive win in Iowa. The Trump marketing campaign hopes the show will add to his momentum earlier than Tuesday’s voting, and spotlight Ms. Haley’s lack of assist in her house state.
Mr. Trump and his workforce are wanting to drive each Ms. Haley and Mr. DeSantis from the race earlier than the South Carolina major on Feb. 24, hoping to avert what might in any other case be an costly battle for delegates lasting by means of March.
“We’re going to be there in three weeks,” Mr. Trump mentioned. “So you understand what I’m doing? I’m kissing ass.”
Since his landslide victory in Iowa, Mr. Trump has made the case that overtaking him is so unlikely that his rivals ought to droop their campaigns in order that he and the Republican Social gathering can deal with defeating President Biden in November.
“We’re going to have one other election on Tuesday, however after that, when Trump wins overwhelmingly, we’ve received to get behind him,” Consultant William Timmons, one of many South Carolina leaders who got here to New Hampshire, mentioned after the rally.
He and Mr. McMaster had been joined on the rally by South Carolina’s lieutenant governor, Pamela Evette; Alan Wilson, the legal professional basic; Curtis Loftis, the treasurer; Murrell Smith, the speaker of the Statehouse; and two different congressmen from the state, Joe Wilson and Russell Fry.
The visitor appearances might humiliate Ms. Haley and additional undermine her case for the nomination by illustrating how remoted she seems to be in her personal state, the place the Republican major can be held on Feb. 24. And the South Carolina group backing Mr. Trump on Saturday will observe the state’s junior senator, Tim Scott, who endorsed Mr. Trump in Harmony, N.H., on Friday.
Ms. Haley is just not with out assist in South Carolina, the place she served as governor from 2011 to 2017, when Mr. Trump appointed her as ambassador to the United Nations. She has the backing of Consultant Ralph Norman and Katon Dawson, a former state Republican chairman, together with a small variety of South Carolina legislators.
When requested at a marketing campaign cease in Peterborough, N.H., about Mr. McMaster’s campaigning with Mr. Trump, Ms. Haley fired again: “I’m sorry, is that the particular person I ran towards for governor and beat? Simply test it.” Ms. Haley defeated Mr. McMaster in a 2010 major, and he then promptly endorsed her.
She additionally prompt that her incapacity to win high-profile supporters each in her house state and in Washington got here from her willingness to strain state lawmakers and veto their pet initiatives when she was governor, alongside together with her criticism of Congress on the marketing campaign path.
“If Donald Trump desires all his politicians, they usually all need to go to him, they’ll have at it,” Ms. Haley mentioned. “However that’s the whole lot I’m preventing towards.”
Ms. Haley’s path to the nomination seemingly hangs on a victory or an in depth second-place end in New Hampshire, the place unbiased voters make up 40 % of the citizens. Although Mr. Trump maintains a big lead within the polls, Ms. Haley has narrowed that lead just lately, successfully making the first a two-person race within the state.
However Ms. Haley would want to observe a robust efficiency in New Hampshire with one other one in South Carolina, the place Mr. Trump enjoys a big and dependable following. He leads in South Carolina polls by a large margin and can even depend on assist there from Senator Lindsey Graham, an in depth ally.
Campaigning on Saturday in Myrtle Seashore, S.C., Mr. DeSantis was requested about South Carolina elected officers’ endorsing Mr. Trump. “Iowa Republican management lined up behind me, and we got here in second,” Mr. DeSantis instructed reporters. “So I believe there’s a restrict to what the management can do.”
Because the New Hampshire major nears, Mr. Trump has more and more escalated and sharpened his assaults on Ms. Haley. He now usually argues that whereas she did an ample job in his administration, she doesn’t have what it takes to guide on her personal.
“She is just not presidential timber,” Mr. Trump mentioned bluntly in Harmony on Friday.
Mr. Trump has additionally repeatedly tried to backpedal on his previous reward of Ms. Haley, claiming steadily that he appointed her ambassador to the United Nations solely to clear the way in which for Mr. McMaster to grow to be governor.
Jazmine Ulloa and Nicholas Nehamas contributed reporting.
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