To undermine Haley, Trump will surround himself with SC leaders

Exploiting his advantage over Nikki Haley ahead of the New Hampshire primary, Donald J. Trump will surround himself Saturday evening with South Carolina leaders, including Ms. Haley's successor as governor, at a rally to meet her at home to portray him as politically friendless. Trump campaign officials said.

The former president is planning this show of force to boost his own momentum ahead of Tuesday's vote and to highlight Ms. Haley's lack of support in her home state, the officials said, insisting on anonymity to discuss campaign strategy.

Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina, who supported Mr. Trump will speak to voters in Manchester, NH, in November 2022, shortly after he announces his third presidential bid. He will be joined by the state's lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer and speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives, along with three of the state's congressmen.

One campaign adviser said the touring South Carolinians were meant to help Trump make the case he has been making since his landslide victory in Iowa: that it is so unlikely that his rivals should suspend their campaigns so that he and the Republican The party can focus on defeating President Biden in November.

The cameo appearances could humiliate Ms. Haley and further undermine her case for the nomination by illustrating how isolated she appears to be in her home state, where the Republican primary will be held on Feb. 24. And the South Carolina group supporting Mr. Trump on Saturday follows the state's junior senator, Tim Scott, who endorsed Mr. Trump in Concord, N.H., on Friday.

Ms. Haley is not without support in South Carolina, where she was governor from 2011 to 2017, when Trump appointed her ambassador to the United Nations. She has the support of Rep. Ralph Norman and Katon Dawson, a former Republican state chairwoman, along with a small number of South Carolina lawmakers.

Ms. Haley's path to the nomination likely hinges on a victory or a close second-place finish in New Hampshire, where independent voters make up 40 percent of the electorate. Although Mr. Trump maintains a large lead in the polls, Ms. Haley recently narrowed that lead, effectively turning the primary into a two-person race in the state.

But Ms. Haley should follow a strong performance in New Hampshire on the heels of another in South Carolina, where Mr. Trump enjoys a large and loyal following. He leads by a large margin in the polls in South Carolina and can also count on the support of Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally.

The Trump campaign is eager to force both Ms. Haley and Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida out of the race before the South Carolina primary, hoping to avoid an expensive fight for delegates that could last through March.

As the New Hampshire primary draws closer, Mr. Trump has escalated his attacks on Ms. Haley. He now often claims that while she has done a good job in his administration, she is incapable of leading her own.

“She is not presidential wood,” Trump said bluntly in Concord on Friday.

Mr. Trump has also repeatedly tried to backtrack on his past praise for Ms. Haley, repeatedly claiming that he appointed her ambassador to the United Nations only to pave the way for Mr. McMaster to become governor.