On Saturday, an estimated 30,000 conservatives swarmed the streets of Pickens, South Carolina, to see Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The crowd heckled Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) loudly as he praised Trump during a speech.
Supporters, who arrived decked out in M.A.G.A. merchandise, grew impatient as they waited for Trump to address them. During his remarks, Graham explained that he “found common ground with President Trump.”
“It took a while to get there,” he said, “but I’ve come to like President Trump, and he likes himself. And we’ve got that in common.”
Graham has gone back and forth between supporting and condemning Trump. In April, he urged his supporters to donate cash to the former president after he was indicted in Manhattan for falsifying business records in a tearful interview on Fox News.
However, Trump’s M.A.G.A. fans have never forgotten Graham’s criticism of Trump and are skeptical of the senator’s intentions.
The South’s first 2024 presidential primary will be conducted in South Carolina, and the holiday weekend was used to kickstart Republican campaigns. The state is also home to two other candidates, former Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina).
