(CNN) South Carolina’s Nikki Haley and Tim Scott, along with other presidential candidates, will address the Christian Conservative Forum on Saturday, aiming to set their sights on the White House and claim a key voting bloc early. Therefore, we plan to present our vision for 2024. voting state.
Hosted by the Palmetto Family Council, the forum is an opportunity for speakers to share their stances on issues and engage with conservative voters. But even as former Palmetto governor Haley and his junior U.S. Senator Scott attempt to win over fellow South Carolina residents, the two Republicans who have dominated the race so far , Former President Donald Trump and Governor of Florida. Ron DeSantis.
A former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Haley was the first Republican to challenge her former boss for the Republican presidential nomination. She launched a campaign in Charleston last month calling for a new generation of leadership and most recently addressed a packed audience in Myrtle Beach. The campaign has been centered on calling for strengthening, fiscal responsibility and increased domestic energy production.
As for Scott, this forum is the latest sign that Republican senators are testing the waters of the 2024 race. Scott, who has dodged questions about whether he plans to run for president, took Face in America’s “listening tours” to the major voting states of Iowa and South Carolina to get a feel for the campaign. I have built a foundation.
Scott will deliver speeches on several themes in about 25 minutes allotted on Saturday, according to people familiar with the matter. The Republican senator talks about his convictions, the role he played in shaping him as an elected official, and how he sees the direction of the country, including his sharp criticism of President Joe Biden’s agenda concludes with a message of redemption and a “better day.” a source told CNN.
According to Justin Hall, communication director for the Palmetto Family Council, speakers can use their allotted time however they like.
Haley and Scott have long been friends and political allies. In 2012, Haley nominated Scott to fill the vacancy left by Senator Jim DeMint, saying Scott “won the seat” because of his character and record. But after Haley announced her presidential run, Scott declined to endorse her, according to the Washington Post and Courier. Both were attending a donor retreat for the anti-tax group Club for Growth in Palm Beach earlier this month, along with other Republican candidates.
GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, who is considering running for president, will also speak at the forum. Former Vice President Mike Pence, likely another 2024 nominee, was invited to speak at Iowa’s foreign policy panel on the same day. Other potential nominees include former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, New Hampshire Governor Chris Snunu, and South Dakota Governor Kirsty Noem.
Much of the conversation in early 2024 was about Trump and DeSantis, who has yet to be declared a candidate. Hall said both were invited to the Palmetto Family Council forum, but neither plans to attend.
Trump and DeSantis led a recent CNN poll of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents on who they were most likely to endorse for the 2024 Republican nomination. Below, Scott was 2%.
South Carolina was key to Trump’s political rise in 2016. South Carolina won the Republican primary there, cementing itself as the frontrunner in the crowded Republican field. Trump campaigned for the first time in January since announcing his re-election candidacy, making the state one of his first destinations.
But Trump’s legal troubles continue to cast a heavy shadow over the course of his campaign. The former president said Saturday he expects to be arrested next week in connection with an investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney, but insisted he would not drop out of the race if charged.
DeSantis, meanwhile, plans to wait until the Florida legislature decides whether he will run for president.
The forum is just under a year behind the all-important South Carolina GOP primary. Republican voters in the state have picked the final Republican candidate in nearly every cycle since 1980, except in 2012.
“I believe the road to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue runs straight through Palmetto State,” Hall told CNN, adding that the forum “has the potential to definitely revitalize the campaign in South Carolina.” There is,” he added.
This story was updated on Saturday with additional information.
CNN’s Kit Maher contributed to this article
