'Bad candidates lose': South Carolina Republicans turn on each other as Trump heads to state for rally

Donald Trump is leaving Mar-a-Lago on Saturday to appear at an evening rally in Florence, South Carolina and he will be wading into a state where Republicans are at war with each other over the former president's influence on candidates seeking the GOP nomination for the November midterms.

According to a report from Politico's Playbook, one former high-ranking White House official from South Carolina who served under Trump is sniping at his old boss for interfering in the state's politics and that has launched a war of words and accusations.

As Playbook notes, a "plethora" of Republicans will be sharing the stage with Trump with the notable exceptions of former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney -- who represented South Carolina in the House for three terms -- and former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) who was appointed as U.N. ambassador by Trump.

According to Politico's Alex Isenstadt: they were not invited.

RELATED: Trump's 2020 voter fraud claims have set off a war among Idaho's Republicans: report

Calling it "Palmetto state intrigue," the report states there is "a divide in state GOP political circles that’s been magnified by Trump’s visit."

Noting the shunning of Haley and Mulvaney, Politico is reporting, "Their absences are rich with intrigue — because of both their tense personal relationships with Trump and the fact they’re on opposite sides of him in a knockdown House primary unfolding in the state."

At the center of the fight is Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who has been critical of Trump, which has not only drawn his ire but also led him to endorse challenger Katie Arrington.

Noting that Trump is expected to launch a full-throated attack on Mace, who criticized him following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot which led to the former president calling her "absolutely horrendous," Mulvaney urged Trump to butt out.

"Mulvaney, a former South Carolina congressman who served more than a year as White House acting chief of staff, said in a text message he believes Trump 'simply got bad advice in this race," Politico is reporting with Mulvaney elaborating, "If there is one thing the party — and the president — should have learned in the last decade it is that bad candidates lose. I can only wonder if he got advice from anyone who actually follows S.C. politics. I know he didn’t ask me, or Nikki.”

That, in turn, led Ed McMullen -- Trump's former ambassador to Switzerland and a co-host of the rally -- to shoot back, "President Trump’s approval ratings are higher today than any political leader in the history of South Carolina because true conservatives know him and trust him while the professional politicians get it wrong every time.”

The report adds, "Haley and Mulvaney’s relationships with Trump soured after the Jan. 6 riot. Mulvaney quit the administration the day after. Haley whacked Trump following the siege, but has since lavished praise on him, including during a closed-door speech before an RNC donor retreat last week."

You can read more here.