Last Update: January 28, 2023, 19:08 IST
Political observers in both the Republican and Democratic parties will be keenly watching to see who shows up to support Trump at the events. (File photo: Reuters)
Trump will speak at the New Hampshire Republican Party’s annual meeting in Salem before traveling to Columbia, South Carolina’s capital, where he will unveil his leadership team in the state.
Former US President Donald Trump will drive through New Hampshire and South Carolina on Saturday in the first two stops of the presidential campaign, which has been largely idle since launching his new bid for the White House in November.
Trump will speak at the New Hampshire Republican Party’s annual meeting in Salem before traveling to Columbia, South Carolina’s capital, where he will unveil his leadership team in the state.
Both states are seen as potential kingmakers, as they are among the first to hold their nominating contests. How a candidate performs there often makes or breaks their campaign.
Political observers in both the Republican and Democratic parties will be keenly watching to see who shows up to support Trump at the events.
Once the undisputed center of gravity in the Republican Party, a growing number of elected officials have expressed concern about their ability to beat Democratic President Joe Biden if he decides to run again, as is widely expected. Is performed.
In New Hampshire, Republican Governor Chris Sununu has said he is in talks about a primary bid, and several high-ranking Republicans there – including those who previously supported Trump – have publicly said that they are looking for an alternative.
In South Carolina, where Trump will appear alongside Governor Henry McMaster and Senator Lindsey Graham, there will be several conspicuous absences.
Those not in attendance included the state party chair, at least three Republican U.S. Representatives from the state, and South Carolina U.S. Senator Tim Scott, who himself has been nominated as a potential Republican presidential nominee. Scott and others have cited scheduling conflicts.
Several Republican state lawmakers decided to attend after failing to receive assurances from Trump’s team that doing so would not be considered an endorsement, according to a person with knowledge of the plan.
Reese Boyd III, a Republican official in the Myrtle Beach area, said, “You know, there’s a lot of appetite left for Trump, and I think a lot of people still believe that Trump is being treated unfairly. “
“But you also see that softening from some groups.”
To be sure, Trump commands a significant base of support, especially among the grassroots. While he loses in some head-to-head polls against another potential competitor, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, he wins by a significant margin when poll respondents are presented with a wider field of choices.
Since launching his campaign in November, Trump has maintained a relatively low profile. He called on several conservative Republicans in the US House of Representatives in early January to persuade them to vote for ally Kevin McCarthy for the new speaker.
Most rejected his requests, although McCarthy was elected to the position after a fierce battle.
As in past events, many Republicans will be watching to see whether Trump provides forward-looking vision or instead repeats false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him.
The latter opinion has proved unpopular with independent voters, and political analysts say it was a factor in Republicans’ overwhelming performance in November’s congressional midterm elections.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)