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Hamilton County Republicans pivot support of presidential candidates

This combo photo shows Republican presidential candidate former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, left, in Greenwood, S.C., and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump in Conway, S.C., both on Feb. 10. Some Hamilton County GOP voters who previously supported candidates who have dropped out are trying to decide between the remaining contenders ahead of the March 5 primary. (AP Photo, File)
This combo photo shows Republican presidential candidate former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, left, in Greenwood, S.C., and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump in Conway, S.C., both on Feb. 10. Some Hamilton County GOP voters who previously supported candidates who have dropped out are trying to decide between the remaining contenders ahead of the March 5 primary. (AP Photo, File) This combo photo shows Republican presidential candidate former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, left, in Greenwood, S.C., and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump in Conway, S.C., both on Feb. 10. Some Hamilton County GOP voters who previously supported candidates who have dropped out are trying to decide between the remaining contenders ahead of the March 5 primary. (AP Photo, File)

By Sarah Dolgin 4 min read


Hamilton County Republicans donated most to the presidential campaign funds of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former President Donald Trump and Vivek Ramaswamy in 2023, according to Federal Elections Commission data.

(READ MORE: DeSantis surpasses Trump’s 2023 campaign donation totals in Hamilton County)

Now that DeSantis and Ramaswamy are out of the race, county Republicans have had to reevaluate their support for the remaining candidates — Trump and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

“If they favored Vivek because they thought he was anything but an establishment Republican, they’re probably going to listen to his advice and throw their support towards Trump,” Mark Harrison, chair of the Hamilton County Republican Party said in an interview. “But if they liked Vivek because he brought a thoughtful intelligence and less controversy, those folks are more likely to support Nikki thinking that she’s going to bring a less controversial approach to the presidency.”