After former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley stopped running for president, many Republicans rushed to back former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
Mitch McConnell, the minority leader in the Senate, said in a statement that it was “clear that former President Trump has earned the support of Republican voters to be our nominee for President of the United States.” “It shouldn’t be a surprise that I will back him as a nominee.
“I look forward to the opportunity of switching from playing defense against the terrible policies the Biden administration has pursued to a sustained offense geared towards making a real difference in improving the lives of the American people.”
McConnell recently said that he will be stepping down as Senate minority leader. In November, Republicans will vote on who will take his place. And McConnell will finish the rest of his time in the Senate. His term ends in 2027.
Ralph Norman, a Republican from South Carolina, told reporters that he will “100%” back Trump in the 2024 race, just like McConnell.
According to a report by The Hill, Norman emphasized the need for unity, stating, “It’s time to unite.”
Haley made the announcement on Wednesday that she would be ending her campaign after Super Tuesday.
During a speech in her home state of South Carolina, Nikki Haley expressed her belief that Donald Trump will most likely secure the Republican nomination when the party convention convenes in July. She congratulated him on this potential achievement and extended her well wishes. Haley emphasized the importance of unity, stating that she wishes success for any individual who would take on the role of America’s president, as our country is too valuable to allow our differences to divide us.
Donald Trump now has the responsibility of garnering the support of not only those within our party but also those outside of it who did not back him. I have high hopes that he will be able to achieve this task.
In Tuesday’s elections, Trump emerged victorious in 14 out of the 15 states, bringing his delegate count to 995. To secure the nomination, he needs to reach 1,215 delegates. Meanwhile, Haley’s sole victory came in Vermont.
In a post shared on TruthSocial, Trump expressed his response to his recent victories on Tuesday. He highlighted that Haley had a significant defeat, setting a record, despite the fact that Democrats had the opportunity to vote in Vermont and other Republican Primaries, for reasons that remain unclear.
There have been questions raised about McConnell’s support for Trump, considering their strained relationship. McConnell had openly criticized Trump for his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, while Trump had called for McConnell to be replaced in 2022.
During an interview with Jim Acosta on CNN’s Newsroom, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson expressed his surprise at McConnell’s support for Trump.
According to Hutchinson, he believes that it is important to acknowledge Trump’s moral responsibility for the events of January 6th. He emphasizes that this disagreement with Trump should not be disregarded when considering the future.
Hutchinson also mentioned that he currently has no intentions of endorsing Trump.