Trump returns to South Carolina as Senate race tightens

A second presidential visit to South Carolina within eight days is drawing fresh scrutiny of the state's political leanings. President Donald Trump's trip comes as the contest for its U.S. Senate seat attracts unusual levels of national attention and campaign spending, which has prompted debate over whether the state is as reliably Republican as it has long been assumed to be, according to NPR · CBS News.

NPR · CBS News reports that the heightened interest in the race is the main reason observers are asking how solidly conservative South Carolina remains. A Senate contest that tightens in a state often treated as safe territory forces both parties to weigh where to put their time and resources, and Trump's repeated appearances signal that his side is taking the matter seriously.

The visit also underscores how much the president's personal involvement matters to Republicans defending the seat. Rather than leave the outcome to local organizers, he has chosen to show up in person twice in little more than a week. Whether the money and attention ultimately change the result is not yet known, but the unusual focus on the state has already altered how the race is being discussed.

Summarized by PolitiKool from NPR · CBS News’s reporting. Read the full story at NPR · CBS News →