x
Breaking News
More () »

Trump, Pence coming to SC to stump for McMaster ahead of GOP runoff

According to a report in the New York Times, President Trump plans to be in the state on Monday to campaign.

Columbia, SC (WLTX) It would appear that both the President and Vice President plan to be in the Palmetto State.

According to a statement from the McMaster campaign, President Trump plans to be in the state on Monday to campaign for Gov. McMaster. The governor is in a GOP runoff on Tuesday against John Warren.

The statement goes on to say that Vice President Pence will be in the state on Saturday to help campaign for Gov. McMaster and that President Trump will be in town on Monday and will do the same. Additional details on exact times and locations will be released on Wednesday.

RELATED: McMaster to face Warren in GOP runoff for SC governor

"President Trump and Vice President Pence are changing the world, and we couldn’t be more excited to have their support," McMaster said in a statement. "That they are both willing to come and campaign to keep South Carolina moving forward is a testament to the success of our great state, to the things we’ve accomplished over the last few years, and to the strength of our people."

On the day of the primary President Trump tweeted his support for Katie Arrington and his disapproval of Rep. Mark Sanford. Arrington ended up winning the race for the South Carolina's congressional first seat.

“Governor McMaster's smart. He probably realizes that he has a tough road ahead of him and the bigger the guns he can bring out, the better off he's gonna be," said Dr. Karen Kedrowski, professor of Political Science at Winthrop University. “That shows that McMaster has extraordinarily powerful friends. It also shows that he's worried.”

Despite dismal national approval ratings, the president remains popular among Republicans in South Carolina. Political science experts said the president’s decision to come to South Carolina helps him appeal to his base.

“President Trump needs allies, and McMaster's been a very loyal ally,” Kedrowski said.

Governor McMaster was the first statewide elected official in the country to publicly endorse Trump for President. Now that he’s locked in a battle to keep his home in the Governor’s mansion, Trump is returning the favor.

“’This was something of a quid pro quo,” Kedrowski said.

Before You Leave, Check This Out