Two months after his announcement he’d be running in 2024, former President Donald Trump finally kicked off his campaign with two intimate rallies in South Carolina and New Hampshire, outlining his leadership team for 2024.
Rather than the typically large rallies, Trump chose to kick off his campaign with rallies in two early primary voting states, representing a need to garner support in the states where he’d need support to claim a win.
At a Republican Party meeting in New Hampshire, Trump announced his appointment of Stephen Stepanek, the outgoing New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman, to manage his campaign in the state.
Stepanek would be the kind of high-profile surrogate he needs to win over the first state to vote in the primaries, and a state he ultimately lost by 7 points to Biden in the 2020 elections.
After his announcement in New Hampshire, Trump arrived in South Carolina to announce his leadership team, consisting of figures like Governor Henry McMaster, former Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, freshman Congressman Russel Fry, and Senator Lindsey Graham.
Trump’s show of force in these states has been described as a show of force to hold off other potential primary contenders like former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Graham, who has been criticized by some of Trump’s supporters for not being the best selection on the former President’s leadership team, showed he was worth his weight.
Graham told the crowd, “[Trump] did it once; he can do it again,” adding, “There are no Trump policies without Trump.”
