South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, a Donald Trump ally, said Sunday on ABC News' This Week that Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley is turning off senior voters by attacking Trump's age and mental fitness.
The Context
Scott's comments come as Haley has turned up her attacks against Trump, the Republican presidential frontrunner.
After her loss in the New Hampshire primary, Haley challenged Trump to face her directly, saying: "He thinks he'd do better [on a mental test] than me. Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn't. But if he thinks that, then he should have no problem standing on a debate stage with me."
She has continued those attacks since turning her attention to her home state of South Carolina's primary.
What We Know
ABC News' Martha Raddatz confronted Scott on Sunday about Trump calling Haley "birdbrain" and his claims that Haley is ineligible to be president because her parents were not U.S. citizens when she was born. While her parents became citizens after her birth, Haley was born in South Carolina and is therefore eligible to become president.
"Both candidates should focus on the issues without any question. But when she talks about his age and competency tests, that turns off senior voters. It's one of the reasons why senior voters support Donald Trump," Scott said.
Raddatz pressed Scott about Trump's attacks and brought up the fact that Haley, when she was South Carolina governor, appointed him to the Senate.
"His language is far more provocative than mine," Scott replied. "But I think talking about age is inappropriate when they are confident, qualified and ready to go to be the next president of the United States."
Views
Newsweek has reached out to the Haley and Trump campaigns via email on Sunday for comment. This story will be updated if we receive comments.
Meanwhile, questions related to the age and mental fitness of both Trump, 77, and President Joe Biden, 81, have been consistent talking points during the primary season.
In an exclusive Newsweek poll conducted last year, a majority of voters across all generations believe that aging politicians should be tested for mental fitness, with support for the measure being slightly stronger among Americans aged between 57 and 75—the so-called baby boomers.
The poll was conducted by Redfield & Wilton Strategies on behalf of Newsweek among a sample population of 1,500 eligible voters in the country. It found that 75 percent of all Americans agree that politicians of a certain age should be required to take competency tests to prove their mental fitness for office, with support rising with age.
What's Next?
The South Carolina GOP primary will be held on February 24.
According to RealClearPolitics polling averages, Haley faces an uphill battle in her home state, trailing Trump by an average of 52 percent to her 21.8 percent. Nationally, that number jumps to 70.3 to 12.6 in Trump's favor over Haley.
Haley has vowed to say in the race until at least Super Tuesday on March 5.
Update 1/28/24, 12:53 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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About the writer
Gabe Whisnant is Deputy Weekend Editor at Newsweek based in South Carolina. Prior to joining Newsweek in 2023, he directed ... Read more
