INDIANOLA, Iowa – Just a day out from the caucuses, former President Donald Trump and former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley are enjoying some big endorsements.
During Trump’s speech to a packed room at Simpson College’s Kent Campus Center Sunday, he surprised the audience with North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a former 2024 foe.
“I’m here to do something that no other presidential primary candidate has ever done, and that’s endorse Donald J. Trump for president of the United States,” Burgum declared to the excited crowd.
“I’ve seen President Trump and what he’s been able to do, I’ve seen him as a business leader and I’ve seen him as a governor,” he added. “I’ve seen the difference President Trump can make.”
Burgum, a billionaire businessman, dropped out of the 2024 GOP primary early last month.
Shortly after Burgum’s surprise endorsement, another former Trump rival also endorsed the former president — Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), albeit in a more subtle way.
After rescheduling several events he had planned for Saturday to a tele rally due to the weather, Trump appeared in Indianola Sunday. REUTERS Doug Burgum announced his support for Donald Trump Sunday. AP
Rubio endorsed Trump over Ron DeSantis — the governor of his home state of Florida — whom he did not mention in the endorsement from social media.
“When Trump came in [the White House] I accomplished key policies I’ve worked for for years (like an expanded Child Tax Credit & tough sanctions on regimes in Cuba & Venezuela) because we have a President who doesn’t pander to special interests or let bureaucrats stand in our way,” Rubio posted at X .
“I support Trump because that kind of leadership is the ONLY way we will get the extraordinary action needed to fix the disaster that Biden has created. It’s time to get on with the job of defeating Biden & saving America!”
Rubio has battled Trump in the 2016 Republican primary cycle, with the two trading nicknames and verbal firebombs on the campaign trail.
While Trump was in the WH, I accomplished key policies I had been working on for years (like the expanded Child Tax Credit & tough sanctions on regimes in Cuba & Venezuela) because we had a President who didn’t pander to special interests or let bureaucrats stop us.
I support Trump because of that…
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 14, 2024
Marco Rubio chose Donald Trump over his home state Governor Ron DeSantis. Reuters
He took time to discuss Trump, who had urged him to protect his Senate seat in 2016 after their presidential battle. Fellow Florida Senator Rick Scott endorsed Trump last November.
On Sunday, Haley also garnered a high-profile endorsement with former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan giving his official stamp of approval.
“What this race is all about is trying to nominate the strongest candidate for November,” Hogan told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday. “I believe the momentum is with Nikki Haley.”
Hogan, who is term-limited as governor and leaves office in January 2023, has emerged as one of the most vocal Republicans against Trump.
Larry Hogan, an unabashed Trump critic, endorsed Nikki Haley Sunday. AP Nikki Haley is vying to lock in support to become the No. 1 alternative. 1 to Donald Trump. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
His name had been floated as a candidate for the 2024 GOP nomination, but he refused to throw his hat in the ring. Hogan has also been cast as a third-party competitor, something he downplays.
Trump heads into the Iowa caucuses on Monday as the perceived front-runner, by a large margin, according to polls.
After Iowa, the GOP primary will head to New Hampshire for the Jan. 23 election.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
