South Carolina emerges as early battleground for GOP presidential candidate hopefuls

South Carolina is shaping as much as be an early battleground state for GOP presidential hopefuls within the 2024 election, as Republicans start campaigning within the state Democrats chosen to be first of their main calendar.

Republicans started circling the realm as early as January after former President Donald Trump traveled to Columbia, South Carolina, for an “intimate” occasion the place he introduced his South Carolina crew. Former Trump U.N. ambassador and former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) is anticipated to announce her presidential marketing campaign on Feb. 15 in Charleston, South Carolina.

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Different GOP officers who’re elevating hypothesis a few White Home bid in 2024 have set their eyes on the state, as effectively. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) is launching his “Religion in America” listening tour out of Charleston in late February to commemorate Black Historical past Month.

Former Vice President Mike Pence initially deliberate to go to South Carolina for a roundtable with legislation enforcement in Charleston on Monday and provide a meet-and-greet in Myrtle Seashore, however he postponed his journey after his daughter went into labor, per CBS.

Each Scott and Pence have but to announce that they’re operating for president, however they’ve closely hinted at it during the last a number of months. Scott stated throughout his reelection victory speech in November that he wished his father was alive to see “maybe one other man of coloration elected president of the US.” Pence advised supporters in mid-November that he was giving the choice “prayerful consideration” and that he thinks America can have “higher selections” for president sooner or later.

South Carolina has a historical past of selecting the eventual GOP White Home nominee, former Haley spokesman Rob Godfrey advised the Hill. He’s now unaffiliated with a marketing campaign.

“For the reason that inception of its main, the winner of the South Carolina contest has gone on to be the Republican nominee for president each time apart from as soon as, so it is sensible that we’d see candidates … of all backgrounds, candidates with all visions, candidates with White Home aspirations, come and make South Carolina like a second dwelling,” Godfrey stated.

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung stated the previous president has led by “broad margins” in nationwide and South Carolina state polls. Trump has campaigned within the state throughout earlier presidential bids and supplied endorsements within the state’s primaries, weighing in favor of Scott and Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC).

“He made a profitable journey to the state and unveiled his management crew consisting of elected officers and grassroots leaders,” Cheung stated through the Hill. “President Trump is the one one who can cease Joe Biden’s radical agenda and return America to greatness.”

Nonetheless, Trump’s previous success doesn’t assure that South Carolina will swing in his favor, as voters within the state have traditionally thought-about numerous choices.

“I believe he does nonetheless have a really robust base of assist, however South Carolinians have all the time — this has been true in each Republican and Democratic primaries within the state — they’ve been fairly sensible about issues, and they also don’t all the time vote their coronary heart. They generally take a look at the lay of the land and take into consideration the larger image of who can truly win the final election,” Danielle Vinson, a professor of politics at Furman College, stated.

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The Palmetto Household Council advised the Hill it’s going to deal with this like a “12-month interview course of” and can hear from many doable GOP candidates on the Imaginative and prescient ’24 Nationwide Conservative Discussion board. Invited visitors embrace Trump, Pence, Scott, Haley, and DeSantis, however their attendance has not been confirmed as of but.

A January ballot from South Carolina Coverage Council discovered that 37% of main voters would assist Trump because the GOP candidate in 2024. Nonetheless, in a matchup between Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), the previous president considerably trailed the governor, 33% to 52%.