COLUMBIA, S.C. — Donald Trump will hold a political rally in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina next month, where the former president is expected to champion the two coastal Republicans who are running to unseat two congressional incumbents that Trump has long had on his list of political targets: Tom Rice and Nancy Mace.
The rally, which will be held March 12 in Florence, was confirmed Friday evening by the South Carolina Republican Party and by the campaign of Russell Fry.
Fry is running to unseat Rice, who represents South Carolina’s 7th Congressional District. Rice drew the former president’s ire after he voted to impeach Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump endorsed Fry earlier this month, though some local conservatives were unhappy with the move.
Elsewhere along the coast, in the Charleston-anchored 1st Congressional District, Republican Katie Arrington is challenging the incumbent Mace.
Like Fry, Arrington was also endorsed by Trump.
According to an event listing on his political action committee website, Trump will speak at 7 p.m. on March 12 at the Florence Regional Airport.
Claire Brady, a spokesperson for the South Carolina GOP, said additional speakers weren’t yet confirmed.
The March 12 rally confirms earlier reports by The State newspaper, which broke the news about Trump’s plans to hold such an event in the Palmetto State.
Philip Habib, Fry’s campaign manager, confirmed Friday that Trump is coming to South Carolina’s 7th Congressional District on Fry’s behalf.
“America First patriots, myself included, look forward to welcoming President Trump back to the 7th Congressional District,” Fry said in a statement Friday. “This is Trump Country and I’m honored to have his support in the fight to take back Congress from radical liberals and RINOs like Tom Rice.”
South Carolina GOP Chairman Drew McKissick, in a statement Friday, cheered the news of Trump’s visit.
“After a year of crises and failures from the Biden Administration, it’s no surprise folks are eager to rally behind a Republican, America First agenda. That’s why we’re excited to welcome President Trump back to South Carolina,” McKissick said in the statement.
The SC-7 congressional race has had a spotlight on it since last year when Rice joined Democrats and nine other Republicans in voting to impeach Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Since then, Rice has defended his vote and said he regrets voting not to certify 2020 election results from Pennsylvania and Arizona.
As he’s run for reelection, Rice has argued the GOP should stick to Trump’s policies but move away from him personally.
Trump, in statements, has targeted Rice and Mace. Mace voted to certify the election.
