Former President Donald Trump made an appeal to independents and “disillusioned Democrats” during a campaign rally Saturday.
Trump was in Rome, Georgia, for his first campaign event following President Joe Biden‘s State of the Union address on Thursday. With former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley dropping out of the running for the Republican presidential nomination the day before the presidential address, Trump has all but clinched it and is likely to face off against Biden in November.
“To all Americans, whether you are a Republican, an independent, or a disillusioned Democrat, of which there are many, all you had to do is watch that horrible State of the Union,” Trump said to the crowd, which booed at the mention of the president. “That was the worst president in history, making the worst State of the Union speech in history. But if you are a disillusioned Democrat, of which there are many, today, I extend an open hand, an open invitation, and I ask you to join us on the noble quest of saving our country.”
This comes despite Trump not receiving Haley’s endorsement since she dropped out of the race. The former president had already sworn off Haley’s donors from donating to his campaign long before Super Tuesday.
“It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him, and I hope he does that,” Haley said Wednesday.
“Donald Trump made it clear he doesn’t want Nikki Haley’s supporters,” Biden said in a statement after Haley dropped out. “I want to be clear: There is a place for them in my campaign. I know there is a lot we won’t agree on. But on the fundamental issues of preserving American democracy, on standing up for the rule of law, on treating each other with decency and dignity and respect, on preserving NATO and standing up to America’s adversaries, I hope and believe we can find common ground.”
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Trump has secured the support of Vivek Ramaswamy, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), all of whom were once his 2024 primary opponents.
Meanwhile, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson was the only ex-candidate to endorse Haley. The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations joins former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Vice President Mike Pence in not having issued an endorsement yet after dropping out of the primary.
