Tim Scott endorses Donald Trump in blow to Nikki Haley

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott has endorsed Donald Trump’s bid for the White House, delivering a significant win for the former president — and a blow to the heart of Nikki Haley’s campaign.

Scott, a mild-mannered lawmaker from Haley’s home state of who dropped his own bid for the Republican nomination in November, took to a stage in New Hampshire on Friday night and proclaimed his support for the former president, who stood behind him.

“We need a president who will close our southern border today. We need a President Donald Trump,” Scott said. “We need a president who will unite our country. We need Donald Trump.”

The Scott endorsement will come as a gut punch to Haley, who as governor of South Carolina appointed him to the US Senate in 2013. It will also fuel speculation that Scott — the only black Republican senator — is in the running to be Trump’s pick for vice-president.

Haley responded earlier on Friday to news of Scott’s endorsement, saying in a statement to US media: “The fellas are gonna do what the fellas are gonna do.”

Scott’s support comes at a crucial time for Trump, who is seeking to turn his landslide win in this week’s Iowa caucuses into another decisive victory in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday. The former president has rolled out several high-profile endorsements in recent days, including from Florida Senator Marco Rubio earlier this week.

Trump enjoys the public support of Henry McMaster, South Carolina’s Republican governor, and Lindsey Graham, the state’s other US senator.

Haley, who left the South Carolina governorship to be Trump’s UN ambassador, finished in a disappointing third place in Iowa on Monday, but has focused her campaign on New Hampshire, where opinion polls point to a closer contest.

But she still trails Trump by a considerable margin, and even if she…