Former President Donald Trump was greeted by a huge crowd at a rally in South Carolina on Saturday, with the state’s Republican primary two weeks away.
Trump focused his campaign on the southern state days after an easy victory in Nevada and increased his support at a rally in Conway, near Myrtle Beach.
In a speech at the rally, Trump insulted Nikki Haley by using his derisive nickname for her, ‘Birdbrain,’ and praised Governor Henry McMaster, who supported him from the beginning.
The 77-year-old addressed a large crowd outside the venue, as he looks to close down Haley’s chances and focus entirely on a long-awaited rematch with current President Joe Biden.
Trump touted his time in office, repeating his false claims that the 2020 election he lost was rigged, smearing a media outlet he views as biased against him, and launching attacks on Haley and Biden.
Haley opted to skip the Nevada caucuses, condemning the race as rigged for Trump, and has focused on her home state of South Carolina.
Former President Donald Trump arrives on stage during a Get Out The Vote rally at Coastal Carolina University on February 10, 2024 in Conway, South Carolina.
Republican presidential candidate Former President Donald Trump speaks at a Get Out The Vote rally at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C., Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Trump addressed a huge crowd outside the venue as he looks to close down Haley’s chances and focus entirely on a long-awaited rematch with incumbent President Joe Biden.
In Conway, people began lining up to see Trump hours before the stadium doors opened.
Aerial images show large lines of people waiting outside to see the former president.
Organizers, expecting a packed crowd, set up screens outside where an overflow crowd could watch Trump’s appearance.
Footage later emerged on social media of Trump addressing the crowd, with hundreds of his supporters gathered outside cheering him on.
The city is in one of the most conservative places in the state and a core area of Trump’s support base in the state in his past campaigns.
Tim Carter, of nearby Murrells Inlet, said he had backed Trump since 2016 and would do so again this year.
Carter, a pastor and military veteran, said, “We are here to defend Trump, improve our economy, close our border and create more jobs for our people.”
Cheryl Savage, who endorsed Haley during her first run for governor, said the former president is “here for us.”
Speaking of Trump, Savage said, “He deserves a second term.” He did a fantastic job for four years.”
Trump arrives on stage during a Get Out The Vote rally at Coastal Carolina University on February 10, 2024 in Conway, South Carolina.
In Conway, people began lining up to see Trump hours before the stadium doors opened.
Nikki Haley participates in a campaign event at the Newberry Opera House in Newberry, South Carolina, USA, February 10, 2024
Trump’s visit on Saturday is Trump’s first visit to the state in 77 days and he plans to host more campaign events in the state in the final weeks before the primary.
A Trump adviser has said cnn that while the campaign is taking a more relaxed attitude toward the race in South Carolina, they are not taking it for granted.
The senior official said: ‘At the end of the day, we cannot take any state for granted. But we consider this a done deal.”
Haley has been stepping up her attacks on Trump and, in particular, has been attacking his age.
His campaign said they would parade a moving billboard through the Myrtle Beach area and stop by his rally in Conway.
According politicalcampaign will include clips of Trump and Biden pausing and appearing confused during recent public comments.
Haley repeated her questions about Trump’s mental fitness from a speech in which he repeatedly confused her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
Haley, 52, has throughout her campaign called for mental competency tests for politicians, a way to contrast with Trump, 77, and Biden, 81.
‘Why do we have to present someone in their 80s as a candidate?’ she asked. ‘Why can’t they release their power?’
One person in the crowd shouted: ‘Because they’re grumpy old men!’ “They’re grumpy old men,” Haley said.
Trump responded to Haley for going after his age, saying he would score higher than her on a cognitive test.
According to CNN, Haley has repeatedly insisted in public and private conversations that she would not drop out of the race.
The issue of candidates’ ages has been a feature of the current presidential campaign, gaining prominence recently after a report Thursday investigated Biden’s handling of classified documents.
Although no charges are warranted, the report presented a damaging depiction of Biden’s mental capacity.
In interviews with investigators, Biden was confused about the dates he was vice president and couldn’t even remember the year his son Beau died.