South Carolina Republicans showed their love for Donald Trump Saturday by giving him a resounding victory in the state’s Republican presidential primary.
Voters in the South’s first primary state chose Trump over one of their own, former Gov. Nikki Haley, but they also had mixed opinions about including another South Carolinian on the presidential ticket.
Sen. Tim Scott endorsed Trump after suspending his own White House bid last year and campaigned fiercely for the former president statewide. At a town hall on Tuesday, Trump confirmed that his vice presidential shortlist includes Scott, among others.
‘He has been a great defender. “I have to say this in a very positive way, Tim Scott, he has been much better for me than he has been for himself,” Trump said.
South Carolina voters DailyMail.com spoke to agreed that, for better or worse, Scott has linked himself to Trump, but that didn’t mean Trump supporters were all that enthusiastic about Scott on the ticket. And for those who backed Haley, it’s all downhill to talk about Scott from there.
“I want him to elect a strong vice president and if so, I’ll be more than happy to support Tim Scott,” Trump voter Thomas Faulds, 54, said thoughtfully.
Another Trump voter, Kay Spencer, 62, wasn’t sure Scott would be vice president, but she “loves him” and would have voted for him if he had stayed in the presidential race.
Scott speaking Saturday at Trump’s election night party in South Carolina after Trump won the state’s primary by crushing Nikki Haley in her home state.
Scott gesturing before Trump spoke at a rally on the eve of the South Carolina primary on February 23.
Scott sitting next to Trump at a Fox News Channel town hall on February 20 in Greenville, South Carolina. During the town hall, Trump confirmed that Scott was on his vice presidential list along with five other people.
Helen Moore, 65, a resident of Scott’s hometown of North Charleston and voted for Trump in the primary, was open to the idea of ​​having Scott as vice president.
“I don’t really have a problem with that,” he said. “I think Trump admires him. I know Tim Scott personally and have worked with him. I met Tim Scott when he was running for city council and he used to come to the zoning department asking me for maps and stuff.
“Tim is probably as good as anyone,” said Alan Douglas, 69. He liked that the senator is a “solid Christian conservative,” but he also suggested that South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem would be a smart choice.
Scott was on Trump’s short list along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Congressman Byron Donalds, former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Noem.
In Saturday’s CPAC poll, Noem and Ramaswamy tied for first place in who attendees wanted to be Trump’s running mate. Scott tied for third with 8 percent.
Scott speaking at a Trump campaign rally in Concord, New Hampshire, on January 19.
As Trump and Scott played up their bromance before the primaries, some voters disagreed.
“I think Tim Scott, like the rest of the candidates who dropped out, is saying things, positioning himself, if not to be his vice president, to have some prominent position in his cabinet,” said Zenda Leaks, 61. she who thought that everything Scott did was just to “advance his career.”
For those who liked Haley, there was a visceral dislike for how Scott turned on his fellow South Carolinian.
“I’m really surprised that he didn’t support Nikki Haley because she was the one who appointed him,” said veteran Ronald Smith, 64. “I mean, I’m really surprised how that relationship has turned so sour.”
Haley appointed Scott to fill the Senate seat while she served as governor in 2013, after Sen. Jim DeMint retired.
Scott speaking in 2012 in the South Carolina House of Representatives after being introduced by then-Governor Nikki Haley to fill retiring Sen. Jim DeMint’s Senate seat.
Married North Charleston couple Chad, 52, and Cynthia Plasters, 54, voted for Haley in Saturday’s primary. Cynthia did it as a Democrat trying to steal the Republican nomination from Trump, but Chad said he is an independent who is ideologically aligned with the former South Carolina governor.
“Sad,” Chad responded with a laugh when asked about Scott’s support for Trump. “Mainly because the reason he has a job is because of Nikki.”
“Now he’s just a guy who smiles and nods,” Cynthia added. ‘I can not stand it. He has no opinion. He has erased all opinions of him.
Barbara Bates of Goose Creek said she knew Scott personally from her time on the Charleston County Council. She had a harsher opinion when she was asked if Scott supported Trump.
“The way he came out in New Hampshire, he might as well just bend over and lick his feet,” he said.
Bates was referring to Trump’s victory speech in the New Hampshire primary, where Trump suggested that Scott “must really hate” Haley. Scott attempted to salvage the particularly awkward primetime moment by shouting into the microphone, “I just love you!”
‘You know what’s really sad? “Trump is going to throw him under the bus real quick,” said Barbara’s husband, Bill Bates. ‘It’s pathetic.’
“It’s crazy how it’s changed,” said Nancy Hade, 65, of Goose Creek in Scott.
But Trump supporters celebrating at his victory party in South Carolina on Saturday night did not hold Scott’s brief presidential bid challenging Trump for the nomination against him. Scott received some of the most spiteful applause when Trump praised him for his work on the road before Scott had his moment.
‘Is South Carolina Trump country?’ Scott shouted from the podium.
The crowd went crazy.