Real estate magnate and potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will test the waters in the nation’s first-in-the-south primary state, South Carolina, this month. He will deliver a keynote address to the South Carolina Tea Party convention in Myrtle Beach.
“I look forward to being with my friends in South Carolina,” Trump said in a statement provided to Breitbart News. “I have always had great admiration for the people and state of South Carolina. It will be a wonderful afternoon.”
Joe Dugan, the head of the Myrtle Beach Tea Party and organizer of the annual conference, praised Trump—a solid opponent of amnesty—for making the trip down.
“Our mission is providing South Carolinians an opportunity to hear directly from experts, elected officials and national voices,” Dugan said. “We’re looking forward to a great event this year and are please to have Mr. Trump join our stellar lineup as they address the critical issues facing our state and the nation.”
The conference runs from Saturday January 17 through Monday January 19. Trump’s speech is set for Monday afternoon.
The organization will feature other speeches and serves as a forum for conservatives to discuss the next steps in the battles in Congress and on the campaign trail in the wake of the re-election of Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) as Speaker of the U.S. House. One South Carolina delegation member, Rep. Jeff Duncan, voted for a Republican alternative to Boehner. The rest of the delegation (with the exception of Rep. Trey Gowdy, who wasn’t in D.C.) voted for Boehner. Gowdy issued a statement saying he would have voted for Boehner had he been there, but his flight back to Washington was delayed due to weather. Reps. Mick Mulvaney and Mark Sanford have in particular come under pressure for voting for Boehner.
South Carolina will play a crucial role in determining who the Republican nominee for president will be in 2016. It is the first southern primary state. Other potential GOP presidential candidates are expected to begin criss-crossing the state soon. Other potential presidential candidates speaking at this event include Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Dr. Ben Carson.
According to a news release from the organization hosting it, the event’s theme will be “The American Dream: An Opportunity, Not An Entitlement.” The release notes that “more than thirty renowned experts, Philosophers, Doctors, Authors and Elected officials will address the most critical issues challenging America today. We expect to hear some common sense, pragmatic and positive solutions to the crises tearing our nation apart.”
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