LACONIA, N.H. — Former President Donald Trump gave an incredulous surprise reaction Monday at the nation's first primary eve rally, foreshadowing Sen. Tim Scott's latest involvement.
“Everyone knows about him, and today was big news, the biggest news. He's getting married,” President Trump declared before welcoming Scott to the podium. “I never thought something like this would happen. What's going on?”
Scott (R-South Carolina), 58, a lifelong bachelor, announced his engagement to Mindy North late Sunday. The South Carolina senator kept his girlfriend's identity secret until the third Republican debate last November. He withdrew from the race soon after.
President Trump sought to show party unity by welcoming three of his former 2024 presidential opponents at his final New Hampshire rally before the primary at his Margate resort.
Scott used his brief time behind the podium to praise Trump for his leadership in curbing crime and inflation. He then quickly handed the microphone back to the 77-year-old former president.
“Some [of] I want you to stop talking so I can listen to President-elect Donald J. Trump. Four more years,” Scott cheered, before capitulating to Trump.
Scott was the last of three of Trump's former 2024 rivals to be paraded on stage to promote Republican unity. Before him, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum gave short speeches on Trump's behalf.
“Everyone please do your part and come out Tuesday night and end this primary here. We set out to defeat Joe Biden in November and our best days as a nation are yet to come. ” Ramaswamy implored the audience.
“Our country was safer and we were absolutely better off economically than we are now,” Burgum said. “We need Donald Trump. America needs Donald Trump.”
“The Republican Party is becoming more united every day, and it is. You see what happened. We had a very good competitor…Ron DeSantis,” Trump said. He seemed tempted to call him an “unholy man,” and said, “He fought hard, and he fought well.”
President Trump liked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' decision Sunday to withdraw from the 2024 contest. Mr. DeSantis joined most of the other 11 former Republican presidential candidates in endorsing Mr. Trump.
“Now we're down to two, and I think one will probably be gone tomorrow. The other one will be gone in November,” Trump added.
President Trump's biggest concern is the fact that he needs to conquer his deep Republican rival, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley.
“Unfortunately, not everyone puts our country first. Here in New Hampshire, Nikki Haley has formed an unholy alliance with RINOS, Never Trumpers, and Americans Without Prosperity,” President Trump said. He noted that Americans Action for Prosperity, a group backed by Koch, has endorsed Haley.
“The people behind Nikki Haley are pro-amnesty, pro-China, pro-open borders, pro-war, pro-deep state, and pro-Biden.”
Haley faces a tough battle against Trump.
Ironically, she promoted Scott to the Senate in 2013 while she was governor. Scott endorsed Trump on Friday.
On Monday, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) also endorsed Trump. Trump endorsed Mace's rival in the 2022 Republican primary. Haley endorsed and campaigned for Mace in the 2022 cycle.
Haley's successor, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, also supports Trump.
“People don't realize what I said. [Haley] I'm there because I wanted to make Henry McMaster. [governor]. That’s true,” President Trump quipped.
Haley cited the lack of support from her home state as a result of her hard-line stance against Congress during her time in the governor's mansion.
South Carolina is widely considered the second most important race after New Hampshire and is scheduled to be held about a month later, on February 24th.
Between New Hampshire and South Carolina, there are also the Nevada caucuses and the Virgin Islands caucuses. Haley is competing in the Nevada primary, not in the actual caucuses, which have full delegates.
Haley was optimistic he could pull off an upset in the Granite State.
Early polling data suggests that DeSantis' departure helped boost Trump's standing. In New Hampshire, Trump has 54.9% support, followed by Haley with 36.7%. According to the latest RealClearPolitics tally..
