A South Carolina columnist warned Republicans that they are on a path "akin to making Robert. E. Lee president" if Donald Trump is nominated for the 2024 presidential election.
A month before South Carolina's GOP primary, McClatchy columnist Issac Bailey reflected on Trump's win in New Hampshire.
"Indicators are that [Nikki] Haley will continue through at least South Carolina's primary, but her campaign may essentially be walking dead by Feb. 24," Bailey wrote. "[Tim] Scott's campaign never felt real. Haley's has entered the zombie stage."
"There was part of me, though, that hoped there were enough Republicans willing to buck their party to protect the country from the threat that is a second Trump presidency," he continued.
"Though I wanted to see neither Haley nor Scott in the White House and I knew each would attract more independents in a match-up against President Joe Biden than Trump, I've long understood a Haley or Scott victory would give us a fighting chance to avoid what's increasingly looking like an inevitable calamity.
"Having one of our two major political parties renominate Trump after the Jan. 6 attack is akin to making Robert. E. Lee president after the Civil War."
Bailey also called out Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) for ignoring her earlier criticism of Trump when she endorsed him for 2024.
"I have my issues with Biden," the writer admitted. "But I know Trump will not only make the Israel-Gaza conflict worse, he's willing to tear down our democracy for personal gain. Trump only cares about Trump. He doesn't even care about his blindly-loyal supporters. If only they could see."
