Donald Trump Stops in Key Early Primary States for 2024 Presidential Run
Donald Trump is set to make his first public appearance of his 2024 presidential run this Saturday, Jan. 28, with stops in key early primary states New Hampshire and South Carolina.[0] Trump, who announced his candidacy in November, will be welcomed by some of his staunchest backers in South Carolina, including Gov. Henry McMaster and Sen. Lindsey Graham.[1] However, other potential Republican contenders, like former Gov. Nikki Haley, have yet to confirm their intentions to run and are not expected to attend the event.
Trump will deliver the keynote address at the New Hampshire Republican Party’s annual meeting in Salem on Saturday morning, followed by a second campaign event in South Carolina at the State House, which will be attended by about 500 people.[2]
Trump’s visit comes days before the Democratic National Committee is set to meet to vote on a new proposed 2024 presidential primary calendar put forward by President Joe Biden, which would strip New Hampshire of its first-in-the-nation primary status – a move strongly opposed by New Hampshire Democrats.[3] The Republican Party has already established Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada as their initial state lineup, which is the same as the one that was previously used by the Democratic Party.[3]
The Department of Justice is still investigating Trump, with special counsel Jack Smith supervising the criminal examinations into the storing of confidential materials at Trump's Mar-a-Lago and into components of the January 6, 2021, uprising at the US Capitol.[3] Earlier this week, Facebook parent company Meta announced it would restore Trump’s accounts on Facebook and Instagram in the coming weeks.[3]
The holding of campaign events by Trump on Saturday follows the recent disclosure that classified materials were discovered at places connected to both Biden and ex-Vice President Mike Pence.[3] An Emerson College survey released earlier this week showed Trump leading President Biden in a hypothetical head-to-head match-up by 3 points and Trump holding a 26-point lead over DeSantis in a hypothetical Republican primary.[4]
Trump’s rally at the South Carolina State Capitol is expected to be more ‘intimate’ than his famous 2016 and 2020 ‘mega-rallies’.[5] His spokesman, Steven Cheung, said, “President Trump will unveil his leadership teams, which will show the significant support he has from grass roots leaders to elected officials.[1]
0. “Donald Trump Is Reportedly ‘Pleading' For Support From Republicans Ahead Of Campaign Event” Yahoo Life, 26 Jan. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/donald-trump-reportedly-pleading-support-150005778.html
1. “Trump Kicks Off 2024 Campaign Travel With New Hampshire, South Carolina Visits” The Wall Street Journal, 24 Jan. 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-kicks-off-2024-campaign-travel-with-new-hampshire-south-carolina-visits-11674914413
2. “Trump kicks off presidential campaign in New Hampshire, South Carolina” ABC News, 28 Jan. 2023, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-kicks-off-presidential-campaign-new-hampshire-south/story?id=96700894
3. “Trump hits the trail in New Hampshire and South Carolina as he looks to rejuvenate 2024 campaign” WEVV, 28 Jan. 2023, https://www.wevv.com/news/politics/trump-hits-the-trail-in-new-hampshire-and-south-carolina-as-he-looks-to-rejuvenate/article_7a0aa40a-40a7-5e6f-8338-97d6caeb410d.html
4. “Trump heads to South Carolina amid growing headwinds in state” msnNOW, 28 Jan. 2023, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-heads-to-south-carolina-amid-growing-headwinds-in-state/ar-AA16PPgK
5. “Trump kicks-off 2024 bid with ‘intimate' South Carolina rally after stop in New Hampshire” Daily Mail, 28 Jan. 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11686271/Trump-kicks-2024-bid-intimate-South-Carolina-rally-stop-New-Hampshire.html