South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott delivered a blow to Nikki Haley forward of the New Hampshire major, showing on stage with former President Donald Trump and endorsing him at his rally in Harmony.

“IS THIS TRUMP COUNTRY?” Scott stated to the gang, hyping them up.

Scott touted Trump’s immigration, social safety and his battle in opposition to crimes earlier than he declared his endorsement.

“That is why I got here to the very heat state of New Hampshire to endorse the subsequent president of the US, Donald Trump,” Scott stated.

“We want a president who will unite our nation,” Scott stated. “We want Donald Trump.”

Trump thanked Scott, praising him as a “excellent man,” and a “very revered man” – on the similar time disparaged different Republicans for “losing lots of of thousands and thousands of {dollars}” attacking him. He particularly zeroed in on Haley, accusing her of partaking in an “unholy alliance” with “RINOs” and “never-Trumpers.”

The endorsement comes only a few days earlier than the New Hampshire major, set for Jan. 23.

All through his marketing campaign, Scott was tormented by rumors that he was vying to be Trump’s vp. Many citizens informed ABC Information that they noticed Scott extra as a No. 2. Scott slammed the rumors, saying he didn’t run for president to be in second place.

Scott, who has pledged to not run for reelection within the Senate, informed CNBC’s “Squawk Field” in December that his endorsement “actually will not occur this yr, if I do it in any respect.” A supply confirmed to ABC Information that he arrived at this resolution solely not too long ago.

Haley, who served as South Carolina governor from 2011 to 2017, appointed Scott to the Senate in 2012.

Haley completed in an in depth second to DeSantis within the Iowa caucuses — each of whom misplaced to Donald Trump. She’s trailing the previous president in New Hampshire polls, in response to 538’s most up-to-date polling averages. A major win might be used as a option to construct momentum for her marketing campaign as Haley heads into her dwelling state of South Carolina, the place she remains to be polling far behind Trump.

In a press release, Haley drew on Trump’s personal phrases to criticize Scott’s endorsement.

“Fascinating that Trump’s lining up with all of the Washington insiders when he claimed he wished to empty the swamp,” Haley stated within the assertion. “However the fellas are gonna do what the fellas are gonna do.”

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., endorsed Donald Trump on Friday night time at a rally in New Hampshire, throwing his assist behind the previous president as an alternative of fellow South Carolinian Nikki Haley.

“I got here to the very heat state of New Hampshire to endorse the following president of those United States — President Donald Trump,” Scott stated.

He’s the most recent in a string of former Republican presidential rivals to assist Trump, following Vivek Ramaswamy’s resolution Monday to drop out of the 2024 race and again Trump after the Iowa caucuses. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum additionally not too long ago gave Trump his assist.

However Scott, of South Carolina, is an even bigger prize forward of his residence state main on Feb. 24. He endorsed Trump over Haley, who as governor of the state appointed him to his Senate seat in 2012 earlier than Scott then gained re-election a number of occasions in his personal proper.

“Attention-grabbing that Trump’s lining up with all of the Washington insiders when he claimed he wished to empty the swamp,” Haley stated earlier Friday in response to Scott’s plans to endorse Trump. “However the fellas are gonna do what the fellas are gonna do.”

Scott finalized his resolution to again Trump on Friday morning after the previous president and Haley approached him this week to ask about an endorsement, a supply concerned in Scott’s decision-making informed NBC Information. DeSantis had not made an express ask for Scott’s endorsement since December.

Along with Friday night time’s occasion in New Hampshire, conversations are underway about Scott doubtlessly becoming a member of Trump once more on Sunday or Monday.

Trump has additionally been endorsed by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and three of the state’s Republican members of the U.S. Home. Haley’s lone congressional endorsement is from Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.

Trump now has the official backing of 26 out of 49 Senate Republicans.

Scott’s endorsement comes 4 days earlier than the New Hampshire main, the place Trump hopes to additional capitalize on his landslide win within the Iowa caucuses.

Scott, who dropped out of the presidential race in November, can be seen as a possible operating mate for Trump ought to he win the Republican nomination