Tim Scott and former governor Nikki Haley, have had trouble gaining traction in their home state. Before the event, Trump used his Truth Social media site to launch his harshest attack ever on Pence, saying his former vice president "has gone to the Dark Side" with criticism of his post-election conduct. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence − a witness in the 2020 election investigation − have been unable to take advantage of Trump's troubles.Īnd Trump is working overtime to keep his opponents down.ĭuring his South Carolina speech, Trump kept up his relentless attacks on DeSantis, his closest competitor. High-profile contenders like Florida Gov. In rallying around Trump over these cases, some South Carolina Republicans said there is another reason why so many are sticking with him: No acceptable challenger has emerged. Prosecutors in Atlanta have been investigating Trump's efforts to overturn Biden's win in Georgia. In June, a federal grand jury in Florida indicted the ex-president on charges of obstruction of justice and mishandling classified documents.Ī fourth indictment could be coming soon in Georgia. His first indictment came in late March in state court in New York, where a grand jury accused Trump of acting unlawfully in a hush money scheme. The indictment unsealed Tuesday in Washington, D.C., charges Trump with conspiring to basically steal the 2020 election from President Joe Biden. "I am going to stand by him." The cases against Trump "I am not offended by his brashness," Holcomb said. While it's possible that some "fair-weathered people" might turn away from Trump as the primaries approach, Holcomb said that "I don't think his base is going to change." "I really believe (they) are picking on him because they don't want him to run," she said. "People see that and it makes them mad." 'I am going to stand by him'ĭebbie Holcomb, who works in the medical field and lives in Greenville, echoed Trump's frequent complaint about a "two-tiered" justice system. "Why now? Because it's election season," she said. But speaking about the latest case against Trump, involving efforts to change the 2020 election result, McCulley noted that Trump's actions as cited in the indictment happened more than two-and-a-half years ago. There isn't evidence that federal or state officials handling cases against Trump have sought to target his reelection bid. "I've never seen anyone persecuted like this, politically," said Lisa McCulley, 56, from Edisto Island, the owner of an environmental consulting business. But his base is large enough to win most primaries and the convention delegates that go with them.īrandon Peake, 37, a resident of Fairfield County and the owner of a podcast production company, said Trump's appeal for many Republicans is the same it has always been: "He's not a politician he's a businessman." 'Why now?'Īll the indictments, in their view, are proof that a threatened political establishment is trying to stop Trump. Trump does not own a majority of the Republican Party, some party members said. While much of his support is downright emotional, some of the South Carolina Republicans said they also like Trump's promises like lower taxes, fewer regulations on businesses, and confrontations with other countries over free trade and military policy. "He is fixing a lot of the problems and the corruption that have been ingrained in this country," said Mindy Jose, 53, a retired audiologist from Charleston. Some party members also said that none of his Republican 2024 primary challengers have been able to make a compelling case for replacing Trump. South Carolina Republicans, who plan to vote in a key early primary next year, also said they still back Trump for a more basic reason: They liked his first term as president. In a now-familiar mantra, Trump told his followers: "I'm being indicted for you." Republicans say they like Trump's promises In a speech that followed the traditional chicken dinner, Trump again argued that prosecutors are after his political movement, a claim that many Republicans in South Carolina and beyond are buying, at least so far in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Trump "revealed to us − to the average American − the dirty underbelly of the Deep State," said Diane Peterson, 62, a researcher who lives in Edgefield County, South Carolina. The former president's three indictments, and counting, are actually fueling his support among many Republicans because he is perceived as under attack by "the establishment" and "the deep state," according to Palmetto State GOP members who flocked to a fairground exhibit hall for their annual Silver Elephant Dinner. South Carolina Republicans threw a lovefest for former President Donald Trump this weekend − and don't really care how many times he's indicted. Watch Video: Trump gives fiery speech in AlabamaĬOLUMBIA, S.C.
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