Former Republican presidential candidate supports Mr. Trump

Senator Scott endorsed Mr. Trump in the race to the White House, giving the former president an advantage over his opponent Haley in the state of New Hampshire.

"I'm here in New Hampshire to support the next president of the United States, Donald Trump!" Republican Senator Tim Scott said on January 19 at a Trump campaign event in Concord, New Hampshire. "We need Trump. We need a president who unites the country."

New Hampshire is the next state to hold its Republican presidential primary, scheduled for January 23. Mr. Trump previously won a landslide victory in Iowa on January 15.

CNN reported that Mr. Trump had talked to Mr. Scott to get the support of the South Carolina senator before the state's primary election on February 24. The move was made earlier because former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley was increasingly narrowing the gap with Mr. Trump in New Hampshire.

"He's a great guy," former President Trump said, referring to Senator Scott. "It means a lot to have his endorsement."

Republican Senator Tim Scott speaks next to former President Donald Trump in Concord, New Hampshire on January 19. Photo: AFP — Republican Senator Tim Scott speaks next to former President Donald Trump in Concord, New Hampshire on January 19. Photo: *AFP*

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called Scott's endorsement of Trump a "major blow" to Haley, who said the move was "disappointing, but not surprising."

In 2012, as governor of South Carolina, Haley appointed Rep. Scott to replace retiring Sen. Jim DeMint, making Scott the first Black senator in the Senate since 1979.

Polls show Trump still leading in New Hampshire against Haley and DeSantis. According to the average of surveys compiled by FiveThirtyEight through January 16, Trump and Haley received 43.5% and 30.6% support, respectively. Meanwhile, DeSantis' support has continued to decline, to only 5.4%.

Scott, 58, announced his candidacy in May 2023, hoping to become the first black Republican president. He has portrayed himself as a conservative candidate who is more likely to bridge political divides in the US than former President Trump and Governor DeSantis.

Polls show Mr Scott often ranks sixth among Republican candidates, receiving only 2-3% of the vote. He dropped out of the race in November, but did not declare his support at the time.

Nhu Tam (According to AFP, Reuters )

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