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Campaign 2026: South Carolina GOP Officials and Candidates Deliver Remarks Ahead of President Trump's Speech
Confirmed
In Short: President Donald Trump held a boisterous rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on Thursday, October 29, 2026, to energize Republican supporters ahead of the November midterm elections.
Local political figures and guest speakers delivered remarks throughout the morning, beginning at 11:00 AM, to energize the arena before Trump took the stage at 12:30 PM.
South Carolina GOP gubernatorial candidate Alan Wilson defended Darline Graham’s conservative record, citing her voting alignment with Senators Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, and Tim Scott.
Wilson also highlighted his record as state attorney general, citing prosecutions of child predators, violent criminals, drug traffickers, and corrupt officials.
Wilson urged voters to support Graham, warning that losing the seat could jeopardize Republicans’ chances in crucial races.
Trump urged supporters to turn out and win on November 3, calling for the next two years to be “bigger, better and stronger than ever before” as he vowed to make America “powerful again, wealthy again, healthy again” and “great again.”
Trump’s visit marked his second campaign stop in South Carolina within an eight-day span, as national Republicans work to consolidate conservative support in crucial races.
The Senate Republican-aligned Senate Leadership Fund spent $14 million across four states in the penultimate week of the campaign, according to a WIRED review of federal filings.
Trump called Lindsey Graham, the late South Carolina senator, “incredible” and said he was “so proud” of Darline Graham.
He also called Graham’s Democratic opponent, Annie Andrews, “a radical left lunatic,” and used an anti-transgender slur to attack Andrews on social media.
Despite the rally, Democrats are continuing to campaign for support among young voters in Michigan.
Some Republican candidates are struggling to get responses to polls due to a lack of trust in pollsters.
Background
President Donald Trump held a boisterous rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on Thursday, October 29, 2026, to energize Republican supporters ahead of the November midterm elections.
President Donald Trump is pushing his favored candidate, Darline Graham, in the South Carolina Senate race, despite a growing rift within the Republican Party.
South Carolina is a state in the Southeastern, South Atlantic and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia to the west and south across the Savannah River.
Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.
What's confirmed
- Local political figures and guest speakers delivered remarks throughout the morning, beginning at 11:00 AM, to energize the arena before Trump took the stage at 12:30 PM.
- South Carolina GOP gubernatorial candidate Alan Wilson defended Darline Graham’s conservative record, citing her voting alignment with Senators Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, and Tim Scott.
- Wilson also highlighted his record as state attorney general, citing prosecutions of child predators, violent criminals, drug traffickers, and corrupt officials.
- Wilson urged voters to support Graham, warning that losing the seat could jeopardize Republicans’ chances in crucial races.
- Trump’s visit marked his second campaign stop in South Carolina within an eight-day span, as national Republicans work to consolidate conservative support in crucial races.
- The Senate Republican-aligned Senate Leadership Fund spent $14 million across four states in the penultimate week of the campaign, according to a WIRED review of federal filings.
- Trump called Lindsey Graham, the late South Carolina senator, “incredible” and said he was “so proud” of Darline Graham.
- He also called Graham’s Democratic opponent, Annie Andrews, “a radical left lunatic,” and used an anti-transgender slur to attack Andrews on social media.
- Despite the rally, Democrats are continuing to campaign for support among young voters in Michigan.
- Some Republican candidates are struggling to get responses to polls due to a lack of trust in pollsters.
What's still developing
- Wilson says nearly 85% of the state's sheriffs, from both parties, have… pic.twitter.com/dusfVtRyOa South Carolina GOP gubernatorial candidate @AGAlanWilson says President Trump’s border security measures have made the country safer, citing efforts to stop illegal immigration, fentanyl trafficking, and potential terrorist threats.
- OAN Staff Brooke Mallory 1:27 PM – Thursday, October 29, 2026 Supporters and protesters flooded Rock Hill, South Carolina, on Thursday morning as President Donald Trump appeared at a boisterous rally ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
- “If you need a photo I.D. to check out a library book, you sure as hell need one to vote."
- Trump's campaign schedule has also added several deep-red states that are flashing warning signs, in addition to the expected campaign stops in battleground states.
- Norman said he’s skeptical that South Carolina voters have had enough time to vet the political newcomer for a six-year term, while he’s already been through a statewide campaign this cycle, coming up short in the June gubernatorial primary.
- “We need everybody and young people are a huge part of the coalition and could really be the difference-maker on November 3rd,” Will Lawrence, a Democratic candidate hoping to win Michigan’s 7th Congressional District from the Republicans, told Al Jazeera.
- “Even even some of our own candidates who are doing internal polling, even they have a hard time getting Republicans to respond to polls because Republicans don’t trust pollsters anymore,” Johnson, R-La., said on a podcast hosted by the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins.
- “And they can’t discern when they get a call who’s originating the call, and that is affecting the outcome of the polls.” Johnson has been among the congressional leaders from both the Republican and Democratic parties on a campaign, fundraising and media blitz.
- Trump is hoping to garner support for several conservative candidates in the state, including Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running to replace Republican Sen. Joni Ernst in the upper chamber.
- President Trump holds a rally Thursday night in Sioux City, Iowa, as he aims to boost congressional Republican candidates in crucial states ahead of next month's midterms.
- According to her campaign, Andrews is meeting with residents throughout communities in South Carolina, discussing the "rising costs and laying out her agenda to cut taxes for working families and make life more affordable."
- President Donald Trump arrives for a campaign event for Senator Darline Graham Nordone, a Republican from South Carolina, not pictured, ahead of a Republican special primary runoff election at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, US, on Friday, Aug.
Sources
- Oannlink
- WIREDlink
- Andersonobserverlink
- Aplink
- Wbtvlink
- Al Jazeeralink
- Rollcalllink
- Scrippsnewslink
- Justthenewslink
- Abcnews4link
- Nbcdfwlink
- Ukiahdailyjournallink
- WarpBeat — background on Trump Rally Energizes South Carolina GOP Ahead of Midterms link
- WarpBeat — background on Trump Pushes South Carolina Senate Candidate Amid Party Rift link
- Wikipedia — background on South Carolina link
- Wikipedia — background on Donald Trump link
- Forbes Breaking News — video link