Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is hosting a town hall in Kershaw, South Carolina, next week.
The event, with an undisclosed location, will start at 11 a.m.
The South Carolina swing is important for DeSantis as he seeks to grow support in early voting states and as a recent poll shows the Florida Governor’s hold on second place slipping.
While DeSantis has long trailed former President Donald Trump by double-digits, he’s managed to hold onto the No. 2 spot and, ostensibly, the chance to be the top Trump alternative as the former President continues to face mounting legal troubles.
But a Trafalgar Group poll released this week shows DeSantis tied with U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, a dead heat that may not come as a shock to Palmetto State residents Scott represents. The poll found both locked at 14% support each, far behind Trump’s 48% support but ahead of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (8%).
Other contenders, including former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (7%), businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (6%) and former Vice President Mike Pence (2%) were in single-digits.
Kershaw, in rural South Carolina north of the state capital, has a population of just about 2,000 and is ruby red. At just over 50 miles north of the more populous Columbia, the small town visit is an easy draw for a broader audience.
DeSantis has focused significant attention on South Carolina. He rolled out a large slate of endorsements earlier this month, including local officials such as Greenville County Councilman Joey Russo, Laurens County Councilmen Luke Rankin and Kemp Younts and state Rep. Joe Bustos, among others.
While the list was largely leaders from small towns, the nods could go a long way in persuading locals who might otherwise be more drawn to Trump or candidates who hail from the Palmetto State — Scott and Haley.
DeSantis’ visit will come after his first presidential debate. DeSantis is one of eight GOP presidential contenders who will participate in the first debate.
Trump announced Sunday that he would not participate — and it appears he wouldn’t have qualified anyway after refusing to sign a pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee. That means the debate will be the first major opportunity for candidates to differentiate themselves from Trump.
Most expect, however, that despite Trump’s physical presence he will still very much be present in spirit. With the former President now facing four indictments, his opponents will likely be asked to respond. Thus far, most have blasted the investigations and indictments as a weaponization of the criminal justice system against a political adversary. Only Christie and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson have consistently gone after Trump.
