Opinion by Henry Olsen: Trump’s endorsements in South Carolina are showcasing his weakness
in the bank to fight with, he will have a tough time defending his vote to impeach Trump and contending with Fry’s largely conservative state legislative record. But no one knows what will happen as the campaign develops.
It might be telling that there are no publicly released polling data so far in the Rice-Fry race. Other Trump-endorsed candidates challenging establishment Republicans havepolls purporting to show they will win when Trump’s endorsement becomes known. The fact that Fry has not done so might indicate his position is weaker than expected.
Analysts should also watch what Haley does for clues. She has so far steered clear of the race, but her of Rice in his first primary in 2012 helped him triumph. If Rice has a shot late in the race, and Haley endorses him, it would be a feather in her cap to have bested Trump in her home state.Trump is taking a massive gamble this cycle by spreading his political capital far and wide. He’ll have his share of wins, but failing to knock off high-profile targets such as Mace or Rice would do significant damage to his standing.