Latest news with #RalphNorman
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump's wrath looms as Nikki Haley backs presidential critic
Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley (pictured) has weighed in on the 2026 Republican primary race for governor in South Carolina, inserting herself into a high-octane campaign that could pique the interest of President Donald Trump. Haley endorsed Congressman Ralph Norman, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who supported her run for the White House when she challenged the former president in 2024. 'Ralph Norman (pictured) is a strong conservative, a principled leader, and a friend who helped me take on the Columbia establishment and never stopped,' said Haley, herself a former governor of the Palmetto state. 'Ralph will finally clean up Columbia, pass term limits, and prepare South Carolina for the next generation. When Ralph Norman is governor, it will once again be a great day in South Carolina' Haley added. Despite Haley's eventual backing of Trump in the 2024 general election race, her forceful challenge to him has left their relationship damaged. Last November Trump said that his former ambassador to the United Nations would not be invited to serve during his second term. It remains to be seen if Haley's endorsement of Norman could hurt him with Trump, who is known to hold a grudge. Norman joins a field of Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, Attorney General Alan Wilson and state Senator Josh Kimbrell already in the GOP primary contest, and Rep. Nancy Mace is expected to enter the race in the coming days. Mace is already teasing her candidacy, taking to social media to post photos of her with Trump. Like Haley, Mace similarly had a complex relationship with the president. After the January 6 Capitol riot, she declared his legacy was 'wiped out,' causing him to back her ouster in a Republican primary. But since Trump's victory Mace has worked to cozy back up to the commander in chief. 'I believe I may be forced to run for governor because I can't watch my beautiful red state of South Carolina go woke. It's gone woke over the last couple of years,' Mace told FOX Report host Jon Scott. Mace (pictured) appeared at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics breakfast Friday, posting on X that trips to the Granite State is 'where serious campaigns get started,' a curious statement for someone about to launch a campaign for governor in a different state. During her visit, Mace said while New Hampshire 'picks presidents ... maybe you can pick the next South Carolina governor too.'
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rep. Ralph Norman launches bid for South Carolina governor
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) announced Sunday he's launching a bid to succeed term-limited South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R), making him the latest Republican to throw his hat in the mix. 'I've seen way too many corrupt politicians in Columbia, S.C., looking out for themselves and not for you. And in Washington, I've seen career politicians who care more about their next election than they do securing our future generations,' Norman told supporters in Rock Hill, S.C. 'We do not need more career politician folks or lawyers running government,' he continued. 'We need business leaders, people who have signed the front of a paycheck and people who have signed the back of a paycheck, folks who have built something, taken risk, made money, yes, and lost money.' Norman joins several other prominent Republicans in launching a bid for South Carolina governor. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and state Sen. Josh Kimbrell have also announced campaigns to succeed McMaster. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is expected to make a decision on whether to run for governor soon. Nikki Haley, a former United Nations ambassador who also served as South Carolina governor, and former Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) have endorsed Norman in the race. Former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has also backed Norman. While the House Freedom Caucus member praised President Trump in his remarks, the question of whom the president endorses in the race still looms. Norman endorsed Haley in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, later getting behind Trump once the former U.N. ambassador dropped out of the race. But Trump places a lot of weight on loyalty and has been unafraid to go after Republicans who he's believed have been insufficiently loyal. Whoever wins the Republican primary next year is seen as the heavy favorite to win in the November election. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Nikki Haley risks Trump's wrath again with bold move in crucial race attracting the eyes of conservatives
Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has weighed in on the 2026 Republican primary race for governor in South Carolina, inserting herself into a high-octane campaign that could pique the interest of President Donald Trump. Haley endorsed Congressman Ralph Norman, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who supported her run for the White House when she challenged the former president in 2024. 'Ralph Norman is a strong conservative, a principled leader, and a friend who helped me take on the Columbia establishment and never stopped,' said Haley, herself a former governor of the Palmetto state. 'Ralph will finally clean up Columbia, pass term limits, and prepare South Carolina for the next generation. When Ralph Norman is governor, it will once again be a great day in South Carolina' Haley added. What's unknown is where Trump stands on Norman's bid and whether Haley's endorsement will provoke him to back an opposing candidate out of vengeance. Norman's track record as a fiscal hawk has at times landed him at odds with Trump. During the Capitol Hill fight over Trump's 'big, beautiful' budget bill Norman was a key holdout during the debate, before ultimately supporting the legislation. After the bill's passage, Norman promised to 'keep pushing for fiscal sanity and a government that lives within its means.' Despite Haley's eventual backing of Trump in the 2024 general election race, her forceful challenge to him has left their relationship damaged. Last November Trump said that his former ambassador to the United Nations would not be invited to serve during his second term. It remains to be seen if Haley's endorsement of Norman could hurt him with Trump, who is known to hold a grudge. Norman joins a field of Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, Attorney General Alan Wilson and state Senator Josh Kimbrell already in the GOP primary contest, and Rep. Nancy Mace is expected to enter the race in the coming days. Mace is already teasing her candidacy, taking to social media to post photos of her with Trump. Like Haley, Mace similarly had a complex relationship with the president. After the January 6 Capitol riot, she declared his legacy was 'wiped out,' causing him to back her ouster in a Republican primary. But since Trump's victory Mace has worked to cozy back up to the commander in chief. 'I believe I may be forced to run for governor because I can't watch my beautiful red state of South Carolina go woke. It's gone woke over the last couple of years,' Mace told FOX Report host Jon Scott. Mace appeared at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics breakfast Friday, posting on X that trips to the Granite State is 'where serious campaigns get started,' a curious statement for someone about to launch a campaign for governor in a different state. During her visit, Mace said while New Hampshire 'picks presidents ... maybe you can pick the next South Carolina governor too.' Other conservatives aren't waiting on Mace, instead flocking to Norman. Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, who represented North Carolina in Congress and former Heritage Foundation President Jim DeMint endorsed Norman's bid. As in every other Republican primary on the map, the biggest endorsement to land in the South Carolina governor's race is the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rep. Nancy Mace teases decision on South Carolina governor bid: ‘Couple of days'
(NEXSTAR/The Hill) — Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) said Sunday she plans to decide in the coming days whether to launch a bid for South Carolina governor. In an interview on Fox News' 'Fox Report Weekend,' Mace hinted that she 'may be forced' to enter the race. 'I will be making a decision over the next couple of days about my future,' Mace said. 'I believe I may be forced to run for governor because I can't watch my beautiful red state of South Carolina go woke. It's gone woke over the last couple of years.' Rep. Ralph Norman announces run for South Carolina governor The congresswoman was asked about local coverage of her Friday event in New Hampshire, which anchor Jon Scott said the local paper reported 'all but confirms a run for South Carolina governor.' Mace would enter a crowded GOP primary race, with candidates including state Attorney General Alan Wilson, state Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), who launched his campaign in recent days. But Mace, in the Sunday interview, sought to present the election as a two-person race against Wilson. 'This is a two-man race, if I get in, between me and Alan Wilson, the South Carolina attorney general, who likes to put pedophiles on trial and give them one day in jail serve,' she said. 'And so I don't believe that the South Carolina people will go for that,' she continued, 'but we'll be making a decision about my future over the next couple of days, and we're excited about it.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rep. Ralph Norman announces bid for South Carolina governor
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a member of the hard-right Freedom Caucus, announced Sunday that he is running for governor, looking to succeed GOP Gov. Henry McMaster, who cannot run for re-election due to term limits. Norman has at times been a thorn in GOP leadership's side, particularly on sweeping spending bills. Norman was also one of the few House lawmakers not to endorse President Donald Trump in the presidential primary, instead backing former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley's presidential campaign. He praised Trump during his announcement, saying his actions would make him one of the 'greatest' presidents. 'What he did to wipe out the world's, the terror of Iran, what he did, the courage that he had to do what he did is going to put him on the annals of the greatest presidents we have ever had,' Norman said. 'And I believe that South Carolina needs that same kind of leadership right now, which is why I'm here to announce I'm running to be the 118th governor of South Carolina.' 'I'm running for governor to shake things up,' he added, amid cheers of 'Ralph! Ralph! Ralph!' Norman said he would work to pass term limits for state legislators, a message that was also emblazoned in front of his microphone: 'Term limits. Clean up Columbia.' The representative touted his conservative bona fides, pointing to his time in the House Freedom Caucus. "Some people say I've earned a reputation of being uncompromising, always trying to build — to make a bill more conservative. Well, folks, I take that as a compliment," Norman said. "I'm proud of it. When it comes to defending South Carolina values and protecting your hard-earned tax dollars, I drive a hard bargain, and I don't apologize for that." Haley previously served as South Carolina's governor and she endorsed Norman's gubernatorial campaign on Sunday, according to a press release from his campaign. Several GOP contenders have already announced their bids, including Alan Wilson, the state's attorney general; and Pamela Evette, the state's lieutenant governor. Norman made his announcement in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He was introduced by his son and walked onstage to the song "I Won't Back Down," which the Trump campaign has previously used. The election is next year. This article was originally published on
