On Saturday the former president officially started his campaign for 2024 with a couple of intimate rallies in New Hampshire and South Carolina. Both of these are early-voting states, which is indicative of the early efforts that candidates will need to make in order to win the party’s nomination in 2024.
Trump who appeared at a meeting of the New Hampshire Republican Party on Saturday announced that outgoing New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Stephen Stepanek was going to lead his campaign in the straight. This could be a particularly important appointment for Trump who had lost in the state by 7 points in the previous presidential election.
Hours later, Trump was in South Carolina where he announced his leadership team for campaigning in the state. His team includes current Gov. Henry McMaster, freshman Republican Congressman Russell Fry, former Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham. This has been viewed by many as a show of power to deter other possible candidates from joining the race.
Graham told those in attendance that Trump had been successful once before and he could be successful again. He added that many people might state they want Trump policies without Trump, but that is not possible as his policies cannot happen without him.
While both of the events were intimate, they were key in establishing an early connection with supporters in the two states so that Trump could successfully win the primary. He also used the events as a way of sharing his vision for the country, during a time when internal conflicts have overshadowed the policies and direction of the GOP.
