Aiexpress – Former President Trump energized a lively and enthusiastic crowd in Rock Hill, South Carolina on Friday afternoon, as he aimed to secure a decisive victory in the race for the GOP nomination.
On the eve of the South Carolina primary, thousands of people eagerly lined up for hours in advance to catch a glimpse of Trump at the Winthrop University sports arena.
In the polling average managed by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ, Trump is ahead of his sole remaining rival, Nikki Haley, by over 30 points.
Haley, a native of the state, was born and raised there. She held the position of governor for two terms before leaving to serve as Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations.
Their relationship has deteriorated significantly.
Ironically, despite Trump’s tendency to use personal attacks, he also expressed his dissatisfaction with Haley’s behavior, stating that she is “very rude.”
The turnout for Trump’s event on Friday was significantly larger, and the attendees were primarily working-class individuals. This stark contrast in crowd size and demographics highlights the difference between the audiences at Trump’s rallies and Haley’s campaign events in the area.
Haley has continuously emphasized her belief that Trump would not be successful in a general election. She has also taken the opportunity to ridicule him for not serving in the military and has gone as far as accusing him of throwing temper tantrums.
The team supporting Haley has announced that she intends to remain in the race until at least Super Tuesday, which falls on March 5th.
Haley’s campaign manager, Betsy Ankney, informed reporters on Friday morning that the campaign has secured a significant national ad buy in preparation for the upcoming events. Ankney refrained from discussing any specific “benchmarks” that could potentially influence Haley’s decision to withdraw from the race following Saturday’s outcome.
Team Trump seems to be making a strong effort to push Haley out.
In a brief interview with The Hill, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) dismissed Haley’s claims as “delusional” and predicted that she would face humiliation in her home state. As she made her way through the arena, Greene was frequently interrupted by supporters who wished her well.
According to Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), a former ally of Haley who has now endorsed Trump, she predicts that Trump will achieve a resounding victory on Saturday. Mace emphasized that she doesn’t want to hear any more Republicans criticizing Trump after the election, specifically referring to Haley. Mace believes that Haley’s attacks on Trump could be detrimental in a general election.
Meanwhile, on the stage, Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) received thunderous applause as he confidently declared, “The Republican primary is officially concluded, and Donald Trump has emerged as our chosen nominee.”
During his speech, Trump may have elevated Scott’s position in the speculation about potential running mates.
According to Trump, Scott is “the best surrogate I’ve ever seen” and Trump believes that Scott represents him better than he represents himself.
In his 91-minute speech, Trump also discussed the contentious ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court on the legal status of frozen embryos, stating that they are considered people.
In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump expressed his continued endorsement of IVF treatment, emphasizing the importance of making fertility solutions like IVF accessible in every state across America.
The crowd in this city of approximately 75,000 people, near the state line with North Carolina, appeared to be more captivated by Trump’s “greatest hits” rather than the intricacies of court rulings in Alabama.
They reacted enthusiastically to his customary phony claims of election fraud in 2020, his attacks on the media, and his claims that the four criminal indictments he faces are evidence of a political plan against him.
In fact, one of the greatest ovations he received during his address was for claiming that the claims against him are “bulls**t.” Another example was when, following an extended rant about his physical superiority over President Biden, Trump indicated he could really knock the president over.
Carl Williams, a preacher from Fort Mill, South Carolina, told The Hill that he believes Haley is “Democrat-funded,” whereas Trump “cares about America and the people. “He’s not simply doing it for the money.”
Williams also expressed his hope that “the Lord” would “reinstate” Trump for another term.
