CLEMSON, S.C. — President Donald Trump’s Oct. 21 midterm rally in the Upstate will be held in Clemson, not Greenville, after the Greenville County Republican Party said it was notified by the White House on Thursday that there were no viable venue options in Greenville to accommodate the visit.
The Greenville County Republican Party had said a day earlier that it expected to welcome the president back to Greenville next Wednesday, while noting that final details were still being worked out. The party now says the event is set for Clemson.
The Republican National Committee’s event page lists a midterm rally in Clemson on Wednesday, Oct. 21, with doors opening at 3:30 p.m. and the president set for 7 p.m. The venue is still listed as to be announced, and each signup is capped at four tickets.
County GOP Chairman Jeff Davis has called the visit a clear show of support for Sen. Darline Graham and for Reps. William Timmons and Sheri Biggs. He tied it to the county party’s phone-banking work for TrumpForce47 in 2024, when its volunteers ranked fifth in the nation.
Graham told reporters Wednesday she would welcome an Upstate appearance and expects a strong crowd if the president comes.
Her Democratic Senate challenger, Charleston physician Annie Andrews, urged Trump to press Graham about reported family business ties to China.
Trump last campaigned for Graham in Myrtle Beach in late August ahead of her primary runoff. Greenville County was one of the counties Graham lost in that race.
This story has been updated. An earlier version said the visit was expected in Greenville, based on the county party’s first statement; the rally is in Clemson.
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