LACONIA, New Hampshire — Former President Donald Trump announced the recent engagement of Sen. Tim Scott Monday by reacting with shocked disbelief during a rally ahead of the first rally in the state’s primary.
“Everybody knows him and today is a big story — the biggest story out there. He’s engaged to be married,” Trump said before welcoming Scott to the podium. “We never thought this would happen, what happened?”
A lifelong bachelor, Scott (R-SC), 58, announced his engagement to Mindy Noce late Sunday. The South Carolina senator had kept his girlfriend’s identity a secret until the third GOP debate last November. He dropped out of the race shortly thereafter.
Trump welcomed three of his former presidential foes in 2024 during his final rally in New Hampshire before the primary election at the Margate Resort, aiming to showcase party unity.
Scott used his brief time behind the podium to praise Trump for presiding over low crime and inflation. He then quickly returned the microphone to the 77-year-old former president.
“How much [of] you all want me to stop talking so you can hear from your next president, Donald J. Trump. Four more years,” Scott cheered, before yielding to Trump.
Donald Trump jokingly expressed surprise at Tim Scott’s engagement. Reuters
Scott was the last of three former 2024 rivals Trump paraded on stage to promote Republican unity. Earlier, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum gave brief speeches for Trump.
“You do your part, come out on Tuesday night, finish this elementary school here. Go beat Joe Biden in November and our best days as a nation are still ahead of us,” Ramaswamy implored the crowd.
“Our country is safer, and we’re really better off economically than we are now,” Burgum said. “We need Donald Trump. America needs Donald Trump.”
Tim Scott endorsed Donald Trump last Friday. AP
“Every day the Republican Party is coming together and that’s it. You see what happens. We have a very good competitor … Ron DeSantis,” Trump said, seeming to itch to call him “DeSanctimonious,” “he fought hard and he fought well.”
Trump was bolstered by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to drop out of the 2024 race Sunday. DeSantis joins most of the 11 other former Republican presidential candidates in supporting Trump.
“Now we’re down to two and I think one will go maybe tomorrow. The other one will be gone in November,” Trump added.
The bottom line for Trump is the fact that he still has to win over a lingering Republican rival: his former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley.
Doug Burgum praised Donald Trump’s performance during his first administration. AP
“Unfortunately, not everyone is willing to put our country first. Here in New Hampshire, Nikki Haley has made an unholy alliance with RINOS, Never Trumpers, Americans for No Prosperity,” Trump lamented, referring to the Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity Action’s support of Haley.
“The people behind Nikki Haley are pro-amnesty, pro-China, pro-open borders, pro-war, pro-deep state, and pro-Biden.”
Haley is facing an uphill battle against Trump.
Ironically, he elevated Scott to senator in 2013 while in office as governor. Scott endorsed Trump on Friday.
On Monday, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), threw her weight behind Trump as well. Trump endorsed Mace’s 2022 GOP primary rival. Haley is supporting and campaigning for Mace in the 2022 cycle.
Haley’s successor, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, has also endorsed Trump.
“People don’t realize I put it there [Haley] there because I want to make Henry McMaster [governor]. It’s true,” quipped Trump.
Donald Trump is the frontrunner heading into the New Hampshire primary. AP
Haley has noted a lack of support from her home state for her hardline approach to the legislature while in the governor’s mansion.
South Carolina is widely considered the next important race after New Hampshire, which is scheduled to take place in about a month on February 24.
Between New Hampshire and South Carolina, there is also the Nevada Caucus and the Virgin Islands Caucus. Haley is running in the Nevada primary instead of the Caucus, which has actual delegates available.
Haley had been optimistic that he could pull off an upset in the Granite State.
Early polling data showed that DeSantis’ exit helped boost Trump’s standing. Trump boasts 54.9% support in New Hampshire followed by Haley at 36.7%, according to the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
