ALAN WILSON: A Decade Of Trump Dominance In South Carolina

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Ten years ago, South Carolina voters helped shape the trajectory of modern American politics. Our state did more than participate in a presidential primary. It played a defining role validating a movement that would reshape the national debate.

In 2016, I committed to hosting a series of public forums for Palmetto state conservatives to meet all of the candidates, and it was clear one stood head and shoulders above the rest. More than 5,000 people showed up in Aiken, S.C. in 2015 to meet Donald Trump. We were all blown away, but South Carolina has always been Trump Country.

Many voices doubted him. Party insiders resisted him. Commentators dismissed his campaign. South Carolinians, however, recognized something different: a leader speaking with clarity, challenging political conventions, and refusing to shy away from the issues voters believed Washington had long ignored. (RELATED: Supreme Court Shoots Down Trump’s Tariffs)

That conviction carried him to a historic victory in our state. Ten years ago, Trump approached the South Carolina Presidential Primary, the First in the South state, neck and neck with Ted Cruz. He lost in Iowa, won in New Hampshire, and all eyes were on the Palmetto State.

South Carolina families sent a resounding “Yes!” that Donald Trump should be president, and his victory sent shockwaves. It was the turning point not only for the 2015 primary campaign, but arguably........

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