November 28th 2023.
At Bluffton, South Carolina, Nikki Haley's return home was met with a rapturous reception. Inside the college gymnasium, 2,500 people filled every folding chair and bleacher, while outside, hundreds of people were turned away by public safety officials who stated that the event was already at capacity.
The event, which was initially billed as a "town hall," quickly transformed into a full-blown rally. This triumphant homecoming was a mark of Haley's success in the GOP primary, especially in comparison to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
One attendee, Randy Wynne, was disappointed to be turned away before he could even reach the door, but he said he'd "just stand outside and watch it on the screen." It's clear that Haley has momentum on her side. After Senator Tim Scott dropped out of the race, she has become the candidate to whom new donors and supporters are flocking.
For Republicans who desperately want to prevent Trump from gaining the nomination, South Carolina's early primary may be key. Frank Lavin, a former White House political director for Ronald Reagan and a Republican donor, confirmed that he is now backing Haley after initially supporting Scott. He believes that Trump's poll numbers are overstated and that "there's going to be a reckoning as we get into next year."
Trump has 80 current and former elected officials in South Carolina endorsing him, more than any other Republican in the race. Austin McCubbin, Trump's South Carolina state director, dismissed Haley's momentum, calling her a "paper tiger."
Despite Trump's strength in the state, many of the people attending the event made it clear they were never considering supporting him again. Dale Wagner, an independent, said she was interested in a woman president and "didn't want Trump again." Ruth Gardner and Mary Burdy echoed similar sentiments, stating that Trump "treats women like garbage" and "doesn't belong in politics."
Haley has taken a careful approach to her criticism of Trump, alternating between praise for some of his past policies and criticism of his leadership qualities. When she said that "chaos follows him," the crowd responded with nervous laughter before erupting into cheers.
Finally, it appears that Haley's strategy of not completely isolating the pro-Trump wing of the Republican Party is paying off. Russ Burdy, an undecided voter, said he was torn between backing Trump and Haley. His wife, Mary Burdy, had her own analysis: "He'll vote for her too."
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