2024 presidential campaign: Donald Trump to be joined by Graham …

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Former President Donald Trump will be joined by two of his highest-profile South Carolina supporters U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and Gov. Henry McMaster at the first public campaign event of his 2024 White House bid later this month in the early voting state.

Trump will be at the Statehouse in Columbia on Jan. 28 and will unveil his South Carolina leadership team, according to a person familiar with the plans. That person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the person wasnt authorized to speak publicly.

Trump's campaignhad previously confirmedthe South Carolina event but hadn't provided details.

The event will also include members of South Carolinas congressional delegation, as well as state lawmakers, according to the person.

U.S. Rep. Russell Fry, who with Trump's supportousted U.S. Rep. Tom Ricein a primary last year, told the AP on Tuesday that he would be at the rollout.

FILE - Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at Mar-a-lago on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022, in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump will be joined by two of his highest-profile South Carolina supporters at the first public campaign event of his 2024 White House bid later this month in the early voting state. Gov. Henry McMaster and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham will be with Trump on Jan. 28 at the Statehouse in Columbia, where he will unveil his South Carolina leadership team. . (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, who defeated a Trump-backed opponent in her own GOP primary last year, told AP she would not attend the event, and that she would wait to endorse a 2024 candidate once the field is set."

Until then, my powder is dry," she said.

According to South Carolina government officials, the Trump campaign has blocked off 3 a.m. to 10 p.m. at a variety of sites inside and outside the Statehouse building, planning for 500 attendees.

Reservation information shared with AP promotes the event "as an opportunity to exemplify the strong support from elected officials in the state as we approach the one-year mark to South Carolinas Republican Presidential Primary.

Some operatives and elected officials in South Carolina have been receiving calls from Graham asking for their support for Trump's reelection bid. At least two of the people asked had turned down the request, according to the person, who spoke with the pair.

Since announcing his latest presidential runin November, Trump has limited his public campaign appearances to events at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida before an invited crowd or in a virtual setting.

Story continues

Trumps visit to South Carolina comes as two of the states top Republicans mull 2024 bids of their own.

Nikki Haley,a former governor and on-time U.N. ambassador, said she would take the holiday season to considera White House campaign.

U.S. Sen. Tim Scotthas been making visits in other early-voting states and launched a political action committee that could become a presidential campaign vehicle. A Scott spokesperson did not immediately comment Tuesday when asked if the senator would attend Trump's event.

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Donald Trump to be joined by Graham, McMaster at SC campaign rally

More here:

2024 presidential campaign: Donald Trump to be joined by Graham ...