Some Republicans rushed on Wednesday to support former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race after former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley suspended her campaign.
"It is abundantly clear that former President Trump has earned the requisite support of Republican voters to be our nominee for President of the United States," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement obtained by Politico. "It should come as no surprise that as nominee, he will have my support.
"I look forward to the opportunity of switching from playing defense against the terrible policies the Biden administration has pursued to a sustained offense geared towards making a real difference in improving the lives of the American people."
McConnell recently announced that he will be stepping down from his role as Senate minority leader, allowing Republicans to vote on a replacement in November. McConnell will serve the remainder of his term in the Senate, which is set to end in 2027.
In addition to McConnell, South Carolina Republican Representative Ralph Norman told reporters that he will "100 percent" support Trump in the 2024 election.
"It's time to unite," Norman said, according to Mychael Schnell of The Hill.
On Wednesday, Haley announced that she was ending her campaign after Super Tuesday.
"In all likelihood, Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee when our party convention meets in July. I congratulate him and wish him well. I wish anyone well who would be America's president. Our country is too precious to let our differences divide us," Haley said during a speech in her home state of South Carolina.
"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."
Across the 15 states that voted on Tuesday, Trump secured victories in 14 and has 995 delegates, needing to reach 1,215 to win the nomination. Haley won only in Vermont.
In a post to TruthSocial on Wednesday, Trump responded to his Tuesday victories, saying that Haley "got TROUNCED last night, in record setting fashion, despite the fact that Democrats, for reasons unknown, are allowed to vote in Vermont, and various other Republican Primaries."
"I'd like to thank my family, friends, and the Great Republican Party for helping me to produce, by far, the most successful Super Tuesday in HISTORY, and would further like to invite all of the Haley supporters to join the greatest movement in the history of our Nation. BIDEN IS THE ENEMY, HE IS DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!" Trump added.
McConnell's support of Trump on Wednesday prompted questions from some, as their relationship has deteriorated. McConnell criticized Trump for the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, while the former president called for the Senate minority leader to be replaced in 2022.
While appearing on CNN's Newsroom with Jim Acosta, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson spoke about McConnell's support for Trump, saying "it surprises me."
"He's been very, very clear in the past as to holding Donald Trump morally responsible for January 6 and his disagreement with him, so, I don't think that you can overlook that, even as you look to the future," Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson also indicated that he does not have plans right now to endorse Trump.
Newsweek reached out to a spokesperson for Trump via email for comment.
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Matthew Impelli is a Newsweek staff writer based in New York. His focus is reporting social issues and crime. In ... Read more
