Tim Scott endorses Donald Trump ahead of New Hampshire Republican primary

Sen Tim Scott of South Carolina on Friday endorsed former President Donald Trump ahead of next weeks New Hampshire primary, a blow to his fellow South Carolinian Nikki Haley, the former UN ambassador.Scott travelled from Florida to New Hampshire with the GOP front-runner to give his support for Trump at a rally in Concord.The U.S. needs a president who will close the southern border, unite the country, protect social security and restore order, and one who doesnt see race, said Scott, one of the most prominent Black Republicans, in an effusive endorsement of his former rival.

Sen Tim Scott of South Carolina on Friday endorsed former President Donald Trump ahead of next week's New Hampshire primary, a blow to his fellow South Carolinian Nikki Haley, the former UN ambassador.

Scott travelled from Florida to New Hampshire with the GOP front-runner to give his support for Trump at a rally in Concord.

The U.S. needs a president who will close the southern border, unite the country, protect social security and restore order, and one who doesn't see race, said Scott, one of the most prominent Black Republicans, in an effusive endorsement of his former rival. “We need a president who sees Americans as one American family, and that's why I came to the very warm state of New Hampshire to endorse the next president of the United States, President Donald Trump,” Scott said at a conference center in the frigid state that will hold the first primary on Tuesday. Scott last May launched his own bid to challenge Trump before shuttering his effort about six months later, having had trouble gaining traction in the polls despite millions invested by high-profile donors.

In his efforts to run a positive campaign, Scott was often overshadowed by other candidates - particularly on the debate stage, where he seemed to disappear as others sparred. In a sign that the GOP is increasingly coalescing around the front-runner, Trump has been appearing on the campaign trail with several other former rivals who have endorsed him, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

Unlike those two, however, who were more reticent to critique Trump as they ran against him, Scott was at times critical of the former president during his own campaign.

Trump said it's time for the GOP to unite behind him and called on New Hampshire voters to deliver a decisive victory to end the primary battle and allow him to turn his attention to general election.

“Then we can focus on Biden and his thugs,” Trump said. In Concord, supporters waited hours in 17-degree weather, snaking through a dark hotel parking lot, to see Trump in person Friday evening.

Among them was Nancy Catano, a 72-year-old part-time schoolteacher who spent three hours in the frigid cold and was thrilled to learn about Scott's planned endorsement.

“Oh awesome. I love him. That's wonderful,” she said. “That's going to be wonderful. That's great support for him.” Catano said it was notable that former Trump rivals were now rallying around him as the front-runner. “So they're realizing that we need to unite to win. We have to win,” she said.

She said she has zero doubt Trump will be the nominee at this point.

“I think Tuesday is gonna be an exciting day,” she said. “He wiped out Iowa and I'm expecting the same here in New Hampshire.” Trump celebrated his decisive victory in Iowa and heaped scorn on his rivals. He called DeSantis' fall to a distant second place “one of the great self-destructions I think I've ever witnessed.” Haley, he said, is “not capable of doing this job.” There has been speculation that Scott could potentially be a running mate option for Trump, should the former president win the GOP nomination. When Scott entered the race in May, Trump welcomed his latest competitor with open arms, wishing him “good luck” with hospitality that some suggested was an acknowledgment that Trump saw an increased number of competitors beneficial to his own bid.

Scott's endorsement was sought by the remaining major contenders in the Republican primary, particularly ahead of South Carolina's Feb. 24 primary, which has historically been influential in determining the eventual nominee. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who placed just ahead of Haley in Iowa's caucuses this week, has been shifting his campaign resources from Iowa to South Carolina. He planned to stump in the state on Saturday, aiming to continue his effort to take on Haley - who has been pinning much of her early-states campaign on New Hampshire - directly in her home state.

Haley appointed Scott to the Senate in 2012. On Friday, a spokesperson for her campaign downplayed Scott's impending endorsement of Trump.

“Interesting that Trump's lining up with all the Washington insiders when he claimed he wanted to drain the swamp,'' Olivia Perez-Cubas said. ''But the fellas are gonna do what the fellas are gonna do.” Beth Scaer, 61, of Nashua, said she briefly considered Ramaswamy but quickly decided “he wasn't a serious candidate” and is now backing DeSantis, whom she praised for being pro-life and for protecting children “from the gender cult.” Scott's decision to endorse Trump made no difference to her.

“No one's endorsement would matter to me,” Scaer said.

David Josko, 76, of Rollinsford, said he'll probably vote for DeSantis now that former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has dropped out. He said he would have supported Trump “if he just kept doing his job instead of having to pull a bear's tail,” he said, using an expression he said described Trump's provocative behavior.

“It seemed to me like the press was pushing more for Trump because they can make more money off of Trump,'' Josko said at an Irish pub in Dover where he went to see DeSantis speak. ''And so, like, anytime anybody burped, it became big news.”

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)