Former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on the South Carolina State House on January 28, 2023 in Columbia, South Carolina. Trump’s visit to South Carolina marks his first visit to the state since announcing his intention to hunt the presidency for a second term in 2024.
Win Mcnamee | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Former U.S. President Donald Trump hit the campaign trail on Saturday for the primary time since announcing his bid to reclaim the White House in 2024, visiting two early-voting states and brushing aside criticism that his run was off to a slow start.
“I’m more offended now, and I’m more committed now, than I ever was,” Trump told a small crowd on the Latest Hampshire Republican Party’s annual meeting in Salem, before heading to Columbia, South Carolina, for an appearance alongside his leadership team within the state.
In contrast to the raucous rallies in front of 1000’s of devotees that Trump often holds, Saturday’s events were notably muted. In Columbia, Trump spoke to about 200 people within the state’s capitol constructing, with Governor Henry McMaster and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina flanking him.
Once the undisputed center of gravity within the Republican Party, an increasing variety of elected officials have expressed concerns about Trump’s ability to beat Democratic President Joe Biden, if he decides to run again as is widely expected.
Quite a few Republicans are considering whether to launch their very own White House bids, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, widely seen as the most important threat to Trump. Top Republicans in each states that the previous president visited — including Latest Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley – are amongst those weighing bids of their very own.
There have been several conspicuous absences in South Carolina, including the state party chairman, five Republican U.S. representatives from the state and South Carolina U.S. Senator Tim Scott, who has himself been floated as a possible Republican presidential candidate.
Trump attempted to allay those concerns, telling the group that he expected a wave of additional endorsements from South Carolina’s state and federal lawmakers inside days.
Several Republican state lawmakers decided against attending after failing to achieve assurances from Trump’s team that doing so wouldn’t be considered an endorsement, in keeping with an individual with knowledge of the planning.
William Oden, the chair of the Republican Party in Sumter County, South Carolina, said he was a fan of the previous president, but was keeping his options open.
“I have not decided,” Oden said. “We’re waiting until everybody comes out. And like I’d do in business, I make no selections until we hear all of the candidates.”
Eyes on Desantis?
At each stops on Saturday, Trump echoed a few of the themes that animated his 2016 campaign, including sharply criticizing illegal immigration and China.
But he also emphasized social issues, perhaps in response to DeSantis, whose relentless concentrate on culture wars has helped construct his national profile.
In Columbia, the previous president railed against transgender rights and the teaching of critical race theory, a once-obscure academic concept that has sparked school board protests and classroom bans in some states.
“We will stop the left-wing radical racists and perverts who are attempting to indoctrinate our youth, and we will get their Marxist hands off our kids,” Trump said.
“We will defeat the cult of gender ideology and reaffirm that God created two genders: men and ladies. We’re not going to permit men to play women’s sports.”
Trump didn’t spend much time on his grievances concerning the 2020 election, though he made allusions to his false claim that the election was stolen from him, calling the election “ridiculous.”
Since launching his campaign in November, Trump has maintained a comparatively low profile. He called multiple conservative Republicans within the U.S. House of Representatives in early January to influence them to vote for Kevin McCarthy, an ally, as the brand new speaker.
Most brushed off his entreaties, though McCarthy was elected to the position after a bruising battle.
Trump retains a big base of support, particularly among the many grassroots. While he loses in some head-to-head polls against DeSantis, he wins by significant margins when poll respondents are presented with a broader field of options.
