To Undercut Haley, Trump Will Surround Himself With S.C. Leaders

Urgent his benefit over Nikki Haley within the homestretch earlier than the New Hampshire major, Donald J. Trump will encompass himself with South Carolina leaders, together with Ms. Haley’s successor as governor, at a rally Saturday night time to painting her as politically friendless at dwelling, two Trump marketing campaign officers stated.

The previous president plans the present of energy so as to add to his personal momentum earlier than Tuesday’s voting and to spotlight Ms. Haley’s lack of assist in her dwelling state, the officers stated, insisting on anonymity to debate marketing campaign technique.

Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina, who endorsed Mr. Trump in November 2022, shortly after he introduced his third presidential bid, will communicate to voters in Manchester, N.H. He will probably be joined by the state’s lieutenant governor, Pamela Evette; Alan Wilson, the legal professional basic; Curtis Loftis, the treasurer; Murrell Smith, the speaker of the Statehouse; and three congressmen from the state, Joe Wilson, William Timmons and Russell Fry.

One marketing campaign adviser stated the touring slate of South Carolinians was meant to assist Mr. Trump make the case that he has offered since his landslide victory in Iowa: that overtaking him is so unlikely that his rivals ought to droop their campaigns so he and the Republican Celebration can give attention to defeating President Biden in November.

The visitor appearances may 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 will probably be held on Feb. 24. And the South Carolina group backing Mr. Trump on Saturday will comply with 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 individual I ran towards for governor and beat? Simply verify it.” Ms. Haley defeated Mr. McMaster in a 2010 major, and he then promptly endorsed her.

She additionally instructed that her incapability to win high-profile supporters each in her dwelling state and in Washington got here from her willingness to strain state lawmakers and veto their pet initiatives when she was governor, alongside along with her criticism of Congress on the marketing campaign path.

“If Donald Trump needs all his politicians, and so they all wish to go to him, they’ll have at it,” Ms. Haley stated. “However that’s all the things I’m combating towards.”

Ms. Haley’s path to the nomination possible hangs on a victory or an in depth second-place end in New Hampshire, the place impartial voters make up 40 p.c of the voters. Although Mr. Trump maintains a big lead within the polls, Ms. Haley has narrowed that lead not too long ago, successfully making the first a two-person race within the state.

However Ms. Haley would wish to comply with a powerful 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., Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida 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 advised reporters. “So I believe there’s a restrict to what the management can do.”

The Trump marketing campaign is keen to power each Ms. Haley and Mr. DeSantis from the race earlier than the South Carolina major, hoping to avert what may in any other case be an costly struggle for delegates lasting by way of March.

Because the New Hampshire major nears, Mr. Trump has more and more escalated and sharpened his assaults on Ms. Haley. He now typically argues that whereas she did an enough job in his administration, she doesn’t have what it takes to guide on her personal.

“She is just not presidential timber,” Mr. Trump stated bluntly in Harmony on Friday.

Mr. Trump has additionally repeatedly tried to backpedal on his previous reward of Ms. Haley, claiming incessantly that he appointed her ambassador to the United Nations solely to clear the way in which for Mr. McMaster to develop into governor.

Jazmine Ulloa contributed reporting.