MANCHESTER, N.H. — The New Hampshire primary may be two days away, but Donald Trump is surrounding himself with South Carolina Republicans.
South-Carolina
Trump recruits South Carolina leaders to undermine Haley ahead of N.H. primary
Standing before hundreds of people at a rally here, Trump was joined onstage by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster; Pamela Evette, the state’s lieutenant governor; Alan Wilson, the state’s attorney general; South Carolina House Speaker Murrell Smith; and Curtis Loftis, the state treasurer. Reps. Russell Fry, William Timmons and Joe Wilson, all U.S. House members from South Carolina, also flanked the former president.
Trump introduced the officials, praising each of them and highlighting their rank in Haley’s home state. He emphasized that they had come to New Hampshire to support him because they “understand that I am the only candidate in this race who can save America from every single Biden disaster starting on Day One.”
“To the people of New Hampshire: All you need to know about Nikki Haley is that every globalist, liberal, Biden supporter and ‘Never Trumper’ is on her side — and virtually every single leader … in her home state of South Carolina is on our side. We have almost everybody,” he said after four of them, including McMaster, spoke on his behalf.
Trump joked that he had invited the South Carolina leaders to attempt to get in their good graces ahead of the state’s primary next month.
McMaster said he and the South Carolina delegation were here to make the point that the majority of the people of South Carolina were with Donald Trump — not the former governor.
“That’s why we are here. We are here for one reason: Those great philosophers, the Spice Girls, tell us what you want, what you really, really want. Well that’s what we’re here to do, to tell you what we in South Carolina want,” said McMaster, 76, quoting the British pop group’s song “Wannabe,” which was met with a standing ovation from the crowd.
“New Hampshire is for Trump. South Carolina is, too. We’ll see you at the finish line,” he said.
Haley on Saturday waved off Trump’s efforts to undermine her ahead of his rally with the delegation from her home state. When Haley was specifically asked about the decision by McMaster — who served as lieutenant governor during her time as governor — to come to campaign for Trump, she quipped in response: “I’m sorry, is that the person I ran against for governor and beat? Just checking.”
“Yet another nearly 80-year-old that’s trying to make an impact,” New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) added.
Haley argued that legislators in South Carolina were not backing her because, as governor, she forced their hand to back an ethics reform and called out their “wasteful spending.”
“There’s a reason there’s no love for me from the legislature in South Carolina,” she said during a campaign stop in Peterborough.
On congressional lawmakers backing Trump, she said she was not surprised because she is calling for more accountability from elected officials. There should be term limits, mental competency tests, and members should not get paid if they fail to pass a budget on time, she said. Haley on Saturday also questioned Trump’s mental fitness.
Haley’s odds of stopping or slowing his momentum lie here in the Granite State, where independent voters make up nearly 39 percent of the electorate. Haley’s lead among this bloc has narrowed in recent days, and she continues to trail Trump among Republican voters in polls.
At his rallies, Trump has repeatedly sought to diminish Haley’s résumé and said that he appointed Haley to become his U.N. ambassador to allow McMaster to become governor. McMaster was lieutenant governor at the time.
Trump’s move was similar to a strategy he deployed against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this summer when he was viewed as his strongest challenger in the GOP primary. Trump brought members of the Florida delegation who had endorsed him to the Iowa State Fair.
In a not-so-subtle mention of Haley on Friday, Trump noted when he first introduced Scott: “I’m running against somebody from his state.” The senator came on the stage energetic, drawing an enthusiastic reception from the crowd as he told them, “We need a president like Donald Trump.”
Scott’s endorsement comes after the U.S. senator ended his own presidential bid in November. During his campaign, Scott — dubbed the “happy warrior” by many of his allies — refrained from criticizing the former president directly, with the exception of Trump’s reluctance to endorse a 15-week abortion ban. Scott sought to draw a contrast with Trump primarily through his tone, offering an optimistic vision of the country going forward.
Haley acknowledged it was a letdown to see Scott, whom she appointed to the Senate in 2012, come out in support of Trump’s bid for a second term.
“Was I disappointed? Of course I was,” she said at the Peterborough campaign stop.
Supporters at the Trump event were pleased to see leaders from the Palmetto State coming to New Hampshire on behalf of the former president — even if they weren’t familiar with everyone who took the stage.
“I say: The more, the merrier,” said Chris Levesque, 52, who attended the rally with his sister.
Gerry Blaisdell, 55, who waited for hours in the cold to attend the rally with her friend, said Trump was sending the right message by showing the widespread support he has beyond New Hampshire.
“The other side is going to come after him for as long as they can, so he needs this united front with him,” she said.
Marianne LeVine and Dylan Wells contributed to this report.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — The South Carolina State Museum opened its doors Saturday for a day of free admission, live entertainment and hands-on activities as it marked America’s 250th anniversary and unveiled a new exhibit focused on the Palmetto State’s role in the Revolutionary War.
The event, billed as “Salute to 250 Day,” included the grand opening of “American Battleground: South Carolina’s Revolution,” an exhibition exploring South Carolina’s role in the fight for independence.
“When we think of the revolution, of course we think about Bunker Hill, and George Washington, and crossing the Delaware, and in Yorktown and the battles up there,” said Christopher Graham, curator of the Revolution exhibit.
But on two occasions, the British attempted to invade the southern colonies. The first occasion, 1776, South Carolina drove off the attempt and British returned in 1780 and captured Charlestown, and moved into the backcountry attempting to reestablish rural control. That’s when the backcountry militia rose up and begin fighting the British without much government support, and eventually driving the British out of South Carolina into North Carolina and toward their fate at Yorktown.
Organizers said the exhibit is intended to help visitors learn about the Revolutionary War in the South, with artifacts meant to connect people of all ages with the state’s history.
Among the items on display is what Graham described as a significant South Carolina artifact.
“There is an iconic South Carolina artifact in here. It’s the flag of the second South Carolina regiment that was given to the regiment just a couple days after the battle of Sullivans Island, and carried for several year,” Graham said. “It was captured at the siege of Savannah carried back to Britain, where lived for 200 years, and now it’s back and it’s on exhibit.”
Chandler Mack, PR manager for the South Carolina State Museum, said the exhibit is part of a broader effort to begin a year of commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.
“we played a very pivotal role in our nations quest for independence during the revolutionary war. So that’s why we wanted to open ‘American Battleground: South Carolina’s Revolution’ to tell that story and tell the story of what life was like for every South Carolinian,” Mack said.
A shark is swimming around a surfer in Aptos, California
Drone footage shows a large shark was seen swimming ominously close to a surfer sitting on his surfboard at Seascape Beach in Aptos, California.
As summer crowds return to South Carolina’s beaches, new data highlights how influential the Palmetto State is on America’s shark risk.
The state has 118 recorded historical shark attacks, the third‑highest total in the nation. Two unprovoked bites have already been reported in 2026, according to Vegas Insider’s Summer Hazard Odds study.
South Carolina remains one of the country’s most closely watched coastal hotspots where incidents from shark bites to lightning strikes are likely to occur. Myrtle Beach, in particular, stands out, as it ranks No. 14 overall in hazard risk and No. 2 nationally for shark‑bite risk.
How likely is a shark bite in Myrtle Beach?
The odds of a shark bite in Myrtle Beach are estimated at 1 in 720,000 during a two‑week trip, equivalent to a 0.00014% likelihood, according to Vegas Insider’s Summer Hazard Odds study.
Even with Myrtle Beach’s national ranking, the numbers make one thing clear: shark encounters remain pretty rare.
Has there ever been a fatal shark attack at a South Carolina beach?
Despite its high risk of recorded shark encounters, there has never been a confirmed or fatal unprovoked shark attack in South Carolina in modern history.
The only such incident on record dates all the way back to 1852 in Charleston Harbor, according to America Surf, a magazine dedicated to surfing.
Myrtle Beach is among America’s top shark hotspots
With new national rankings spotlighting Myrtle Beach as one of the country’s most closely watched shark hotspots.
Vegas Insider’s Summer Hazard Odds study reveals it stems largely from the area’s intense swimmer density and environmental conditions.
With over 17 million visitors each year, Myrtle Beach does see an increase in accidental shark interactions. At the same time, the region’s warm, murky coastal waters create ideal shark-hunting conditions.
What types of sharks are at Myrtle Beach? Blacktips to bull sharks
As concerns about coastal safety rise each summer, understanding which sharks are actually responsible for bites in Myrtle Beach helps put the risk into perspective.
Most incidents in South Carolina involve small to medium coastal species, not large predators, according to americansurfmagazine.com
Along the beach, sharks most often linked to bites include blacktips, spinners, bull sharks, sandbar sharks, and Atlantic sharpnose sharks.
Reality of shark encounters in Myrtle Beach
Understanding why shark bites happen in Myrtle Beach helps make sense of the danger.
As reported by americansurfmagazine.com, most incidents aren’t aggressive attacks but quick, unintentional encounters driven by shark behavior.
Bites are typically unprovoked yet non‑aggressive, often involving single, rapid nips when a shark mistakes a hand, foot, or ankle for a small fish in the surf.
Juvenile sharks feeding in shallow, turbid water are the usual culprits, especially fast‑moving blacktips and spinners, which strike at baitfish near the shoreline and may accidentally contact swimmers.
Ways to reduce shark bite risk this beach season
As the summer beach season approaches, safety experts say that most shark encounters can be prevented with simple habits in the water.
According to the Florida Museum, ways to keep yourself and others safe include swimming in groups, staying close to shore, and avoiding the ocean during dawn, dusk, or nighttime, when sharks are most active.
It also means minimizing behaviors that attract attention, avoiding excess splashing, and steering clear of shiny jewelry or bright, high‑contrast clothing that resembles prey in murky waters.
Travis Jacque Rose is the trending news reporter for the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at trose@gannett.com.
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball landed a potential starting infielder from the transfer portal.
Will Craddock, who played one season at South Carolina, committed to the Bulldogs on June 26.
“Hail State,” Craddock wrote on Instagram.
The freshman batted .260, leading the Gamecocks in home runs (10) and runs (36) while ranking third with 29 RBIs. In SEC play, his average dipped to .172 with two home runs, six RBIs and 14 runs.
Craddock primarily played first base, but also made starts at second base, third base and designated hitter. He started all three games against Mississippi State in April, batting 3-for-14 with a walk, no RBIs but two runs.
He was a standout player for T.L. Hanna in Anderson, South Carolina, and was the state’s 5A Player of the year in 2025. He hit .442 that season with eight doubles, 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases while ranked as the No. 26 player in South Carolina.
Mississippi State’s starting first baseman, Reed Stallman, is out of eligibility.
The transfer portal opened June 1 and closes June 30.
Mississippi State baseball transfer portal class
Craddock is the 10th transfer to commit to Mississippi State and the second South Carolina player, joining relief pitcher Zach Russell.
Other position players who are transferring to MSU include Georgia Southern catcher/outfielder Brady Christman, Samford outfielder Jake Souders, Army utility player Josiah Overbeek, South Dakota State third baseman Nolan Grawe, Oregon catcher Burke-Lee Mabeus and North Florida outfielder Carter White.
Twelve Mississippi State players have entered the transfer portal as of June 26, including relief pitcher Tyler Pitzer who committed to South Carolina.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
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