Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC) is willing to renew his support for former President Donald Trump, but only if he apologizes for the events of Jan. 6.
Rice, one of only 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump following the Capitol riot, said he was “livid” over Trump’s “activity or inactivity” regarding the Capitol protests on Jan. 6, 2021, adding that impeaching him was “the conservative vote.”
When asked if he would support Trump for another presidential run, Rice responded with “no,” then quickly added, “There’s one way,” during an interview ABC News released Sunday.
“If he came out and said, ‘I’m sorry, and that I made a huge mistake on Jan. 6,’ then I might consider it,” Rice said.
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The South Carolina representative also said he believes a 2024 presidential run from Trump would “hurt” the GOP.
When asked if Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy should be speaker if Republicans win back the House of Representatives, Rice, who has expressed disappointment in McCarthy’s embrace of Trump, said he was “not going to answer that one right now.”
Rice added he believes Rep. Liz Cheney, another Republican who voted to impeach Trump, would be “a great speaker,” calling her “a real Republican” and “very conservative.”
Rice’s comments on Trump and the midterm elections come shortly after an internal poll found him leading his Trump-endorsed opponent, South Carolina state Rep. Russell Fry, with Rice receiving 38% support among likely Republican primary voters and Fry receiving 21% support. Rice is running for reelection in the 7th Congressional District of South Carolina, a safe Republican district that runs from Grand Strand to Pee Dee.
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Trump hasn’t announced whether he will run for president in 2024, but he has hinted numerous times he plans to enter the contest, most recently during his appearance at the NRA convention in May.
