Donald Trump Receives Warm Reception at Clemson-South Carolina Football Match

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During a significant college football rivalry weekend, Donald Trump immersed himself in the adulation of his followers, leveraging a strategic moment and location crucial to his 2024 presidential campaign. He notably aimed to overshadow Nikki Haley, his Republican adversary, in her own territory during the Clemson-South Carolina football face-off.

Trump, who is leading in the race for the 2024 Republican nomination, made an appearance at the Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia on a Saturday evening. He was greeted with enthusiastic chants of “We want Trump!” by the audience gathered for the Palmetto Bowl, the most anticipated sports event in the state for the year.

Nikki Haley, a Clemson graduate and board member, and two-time governor of South Carolina, was notably absent from the event.

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Trump was hosted by Governor Henry McMaster, Haley’s successor. He arrived with an entourage, including South Carolina’s senior U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, through a crowd of fervent Trump supporters, heading to a private suite. This gathering at a game featuring Clemson, Haley’s alma mater, where she is also a trustee, signaled a potent display of local political support.

McMaster became governor in 2017 following Trump’s appointment of Haley as the United Nations ambassador. Despite their past alliance with Haley, both McMaster and Graham now support Trump, who enjoys a considerable lead in the polls among Republican primary voters, both nationally and in early nominating states like South Carolina.

Trump’s campaign, hours before the game, revealed an endorsement from “more South Carolina legislators than all other candidates combined.” This included six state lawmakers who had initially backed U.S. Senator Tim Scott before he withdrew from the presidential race earlier in the month.

Anticipation for Trump’s visit was evident in Columbia. Numerous electronic billboards in the city displayed messages referencing Trump’s 2020 election defeat and ongoing legal issues. Meanwhile, vendors near the stadium sold Trump-related merchandise, and some fans chanted “Let’s Go Brandon,” a veiled insult to President Joe Biden.

Georgia state senator and avid Trump supporter Brandon Beach commented on the significance of Trump’s presence at the Palmetto Bowl, highlighting the strong connection Trump has with the people in the South.

ARCHIVED FOOTAGE

• Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Summerville, S.C., on Sept. 25, 2023.
• Nikki Haley addresses an audience in Des Moines, Iowa, on Nov. 17, 2023.

When asked about Haley’s impending primary competition with Trump, her spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas emphasized Haley’s momentum and her history of overcoming the odds in South Carolina’s political landscape.

South Carolina, which is fourth in the GOP voting sequence, has its pivotal primary on Feb. 24, 2024. This is followed by several Southern states participating in the Super Tuesday primaries, a significant day for delegate acquisition.

Trump’s previous victories in South Carolina and on Super Tuesday in 2016 solidified his delegate lead, a position he maintained throughout the campaign.

Haley has been actively campaigning, especially in Iowa, accentuating her background and preparing for the Jan. 15 caucuses. She has expressed confidence in her performance, particularly looking forward to competing against Trump in South Carolina.

Trump, a long-time sports enthusiast, has made various appearances at sports events over the years. His attendance at college football games has been met with particular enthusiasm. This includes visits to the Iowa State-Iowa game and the 2019 Alabama-LSU game. However, his appearance at a World Series game in Washington saw a less favorable response from the audience.

Reported by Barrow from Atlanta.

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