1/31 NEWSBREAK: Trump, Haley looking to Feb. 24 showdown in S.C.

As South Carolina’s Democrats prepare for the state’s first-in-the-nation Democratic primary Saturday, Republicans are expecting a first-in-the-South primary smackdown Feb. 24 between former President Donald Trump and former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley.

For his part, Trump is already touting a campaign event the day before the vote in which he hopes to wrap up the GOP nomination. He’ll be keynote speaker Feb. 23 at a Columbia gala honoring Black conservatives, according to The State newspaper.

Meanwhile, Haley is planning two events this week — tomorrow at Doc’s BBQ in Columbia and that evening at Forrest Fire BBQ in Hilton Head Island. The former governor, who is the last major candidate in the race against Trump, recently shifted her campaign strategy. She’s casting Trump — along with President Joe Biden — as part of the same bygone era of politicians in her “grumpy old man” series. Haley reportedly plans to start unveiling online videos, digital ads and more that underscore the similarities between her two presidential competitors on Wednesday.

“Nearly 50 percent of Republicans and 70% of Americans don’t want to watch grumpy old men stumble across America when our country is on the brink and the world is on fire,” Olivia Perez-Cubas, a spokeswoman for the campaign, said in a statement. “Sadly, this version of grumpy old men offers no comic relief — just chaos, confusion and a bad sense of déjà vu for the American people.”

On Saturday, Biden is again looking to the Palmetto State to cement his campaign as the top candidate. At Biden’s urging, the Democratic National Committee rearranged the 2024 primary calendar and slotted South Carolina as the first primary contest of the campaign season, citing in part the state’s far more racially diverse electorate than the traditional first-in-the-nation states of Iowa and New Hampshire, which are overwhelmingly white.

Challenging Biden on the South Carolina ballot are U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota and author Marianne Williamson. Phillips received about 20% of the vote in New Hampshire, while Williamson received about 4%. Williamson was part of the crowded 2020 field that included Biden, but she dropped out before the first contests

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In other recent headlines:

CP NEWS: Huggins to accept Charleston County superintendent position. Charleston County School District’s acting superintendent Anita Huggins said in a Jan. 30 statement that she intends to accept the permanent superintendent role after the board of trustees voted 5-4 Jan. 22 to offer it to her.

CP NEWS: Edmund’s Oast celebrates a decade on Morrison Drive. Edmund’s Oast just made the James Beard semifinalist list again this year for Outstanding Bar program — a neatly tied bow on top of a successful 10 years.

Thousands of newcomers pour into S.C. every year. Tens of thousands of people move into the Palmetto State every year, with California and New York being the top two states that people left.

Templeton announcing run for Congress, setting up clash with Mace. Republican Catherine Templeton is expected to announce her plans to run for Congress against U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, setting up a crowded GOP primary clash for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District.

Spann-Wilder wins Democratic primary for open Chas. Co. seat. Tiffany Spann-Wilder, a defense attorney and former magistrate, won the Democratic primary for the S.C. House of Representatives District 109 special election by a comfortable margin Jan. 30.

S.C. home prices finished 2023 in upswing, data show. Across the state, in the aggregate, median home sales closed 2023 0.7% higher than where they were at the end of 2022.

King BBQ in North Charleston shines with modern style. King BBQ is the handiwork of Shuai and Corrie Wang, the co-owners of Jackrabbit Filly, and Brandon Olson, Jackrabbit Filly’s former sous chef and now King’s chef de cuisine/pitmaster.