U.S. president Donald Trump is the only reason Henry McMaster is governor of South Carolina right now … and Trump could wind up being the only reason McMaster manages to hang on to his job next spring.
Although we’ll be honest … it’s looking increasingly as though the president will have to make multiple trips to the Palmetto State if he wants to shore up McMaster’s deteriorating political prospects.
Trump’s fundraising visit to Greenville, S.C. on McMaster’s behalf this week comes as the campaign of the incumbent “Republican” has reached a new nadir.
Fiscally reckless “leadership?” Check and check. Gross incompetence in leading state government? Check and check. Economic stagnation? Check and check. A campaign organization in total disarray? Check and check. Up-and-coming challengers gaining momentum? Check and check.
Oh, and all of this is before we factor in McMaster’s proximity to #NukeGate and #ProbeGate – a pair of category five political disasters that could exacerbate his existing pay-to-play problems.
Seriously … it’s a mess. And McMaster – a cartoon caricature of a candidate – has shown nothing resembling the skill set necessary to extricate himself from it.
If anything, he’s been a fount of ill-advised utterances.
Less than nine months after Trump gift-wrapped the governor’s office for the status quo politician, McMaster is in deep trouble … and his nadir coincides with Trump’s influence on GOP elections being dubious at best.
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(Via: The White House)
To recap: Trump has already repaid McMaster (and then some) for the latter’s endorsement during his “First in the South” presidential campaign – which did little to move the needle in the state’s presidential primary race that year.
Trump showed his loyalty to McMaster by appointing former S.C. governor Nikki Haley to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations. This appointment paved the way for McMaster to become governor of the Palmetto State back in January. Trump’s sop to the establishment politician was also supposed to have cleared the field for him in the 2018 “Republican” gubernatorial election.
Things haven’t turned out that way, though … at all.
Lowcountry labor attorney Catherine Templeton has taken full advantage of McMaster’s many inadequacies as a leader and a politician – raising big bucks and catapulting herself into what can only be described as co-frontrunner status. Current S.C. lieutenant governor Kevin Bryant has also jumped into the race – and has the potential to peel away a considerable number of voters that might have otherwise been likely to back the incumbent.
Now Trump has been called in as part of an effort to revive McMaster’s reelection bid.
Will it work?
Don’t get us wrong, Trump’s visit will help McMaster: Tremendously.
Tonight’s fundraiser in Greenville should infuse at least $1 million into the aging incumbent’s campaign coffers, not to mention provide him with invaluable earned media media (and fodder for future paid media missives).
But will it be enough?
At some point, McMaster is going to have to stand on his own two feet … right?
Exactly. Which is the problem …
Can Donald Trump save Henry McMaster's gubernatorial campaign?
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