In a display of strength before the upcoming New Hampshire primary, former President Donald Trump joined forces with a group of South Carolina leaders at a rally in Manchester on Saturday night. The event, held at the NHU Arena, showcased Trump's broad support from influential figures in Nikki Haley's home state.

Among the attendees were South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, the lieutenant governor, and several other senior officials including the attorney general, treasurer, and House speaker. Additionally, U.S. Representatives Joe Wilson, William Timmons, and Russell Fry graced the stage alongside Trump, further solidifying his influence in South Carolina.

With confidence, Trump declared, "Almost every politician from South Carolina is endorsing me," emphasizing his widespread endorsements from the state. The South Carolina officials present at the rally urged the voters to back Trump with a resounding victory in New Hampshire, setting the stage for a decisive showdown in their state next month.

Murrell Smith, Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives, conveyed the importance of a significant win in New Hampshire, stating, "If you do that and you win by a big margin here, we'll finish the job in South Carolina."

The strong support from South Carolina serves as a setback for Nikki Haley, who has been vying for the attention of independent and unaffiliated voters in her quest for a strong finish in New Hampshire. Haley, hoping to establish a two-person competition against Trump, faces opposition from influential figures in her own state.

On Friday, Trump secured the endorsement of South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, who joined him at a rally in Concord. This endorsement holds significance as Haley, during her tenure as governor, appointed Scott as senator, making him one of the most prominent Black Republicans in the country.

Notably, Haley's relationship with several powerful Republicans in South Carolina has been riddled with strife. Despite defeating McMaster in the GOP primary during her governorship, the appearances of top South Carolina officials at Trump's rally suggest continued tension between Haley and the state's Republican power brokers.

Responding to the endorsements, Haley quipped, "I'm sorry, is that the person I ran against for governor and beat? Just checking," highlighting the ongoing rivalry between her and McMaster.

Haley's campaign manager, Betsy Ankney, downplayed the significance of endorsements during an event hosted by Bloomberg News, emphasizing that they have "never been Nikki's game."

During Saturday night's rally, Trump took the opportunity to criticize both Haley and New Hampshire's voting laws. He expressed concerns about the state's allowance for unaffiliated voters to participate in either the Republican or Democratic primary, which could potentially impact the expected closely contested race due to the state's more moderate electorate.

"Don't listen to polls. Get out and vote. We need a big, big win against these terrible people," Trump fervently urged the crowd.

Meanwhile, Haley seized an opportunity to highlight a gaffe made by Trump during his previous rally. The former president erroneously suggested that Haley was in charge of Capitol security on January 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters breached the building. Correcting the record, Haley affirmed that she was not present at the Capitol that day, shedding light on Trump's consistent downplaying of his administration's failure to secure the Capitol and address the violence.

As the New Hampshire primary draws nearer, Trump's alliance with influential South Carolina leaders strengthens his position in the race, while Haley seeks to capitalize on voter support in her bid to challenge the former president's dominance.