‘Time to clean up this mess.’ Russell Fry — Trump’s pick for Congress — addresses rally
At a rally for former President Donald Trump and South Carolina Republicans, state Rep. Russell Fry said it was time for U.S. Rep. Tom Rice to go.
“This time we conservatives in the Grand Stand and the Pee Dee are going to impeach Tom Rice at the ballot box,” Fry told the crowd, referencing Rice’s vote to impeach Trump last year.
Fry spoke on stage alongside Trump, Gov. Henry McMaster and former state Rep. Katie Arrington at a rally Saturday at the Florence Regional Airport. She is a candidate for Congress in South Carolina’s 1st District.
The South Carolina lawmaker spoke at the rally after winning Trump’s endorsement in his race against Rice in South Carolina’s 7th District.
Rice has drawn Trump’s and conservative voters’ ire after he joined Democrats and nine other Republicans last year in voting to impeach Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Horry County and South Carolina Republicans swiftly censured him for his vote, and a crowded field of challengers lined up to oust him.
Rice has argued that Trump’s actions on Jan. 6 violated the U.S. Constitution and that he backed Trump 94% of the time prior to Jan. 6. He’s said the GOP should stick with Trump’s policies but abandon Trump personally.
Since the impeachment vote, Trump has targeted Republicans who voted against him or have criticized him, including Rice and U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Daniel Island, in South Carolina. Last year, he said he would support “good and smart” candidates who challenge them.
In a statement ahead of Saturday’s rally, Trump referred to Rice as “doesn’t have a clue Tom Rice.”
Fry won Trump’s endorsement last month. Just prior to the endorsement, Fry said in a Facebook video that the 2020 election was “rigged,” a claim he hadn’t made prior in his congressional race.
On Saturday, Fry spoke after Arrington, former Gamecocks head coach Lou Holtz and South Carolina GOP Chairman Drew McKissick.
Fry said he said he was “proud” to have Trump’s endorsement and that he hoped to have the endorsement of voters, too. He said voters needed to “coalesce” around one candidate to beat Rice.
“Donald Trump has made his choice, have you made yours? Are we voting for Tom Rice or are we voting for Russell Fry?” he asked. “I’m proud to have President Trump’s endorsement and I’d be proud to have yours, too.”
Fry slammed Rice for siding with Democrats on some votes, including the impeachment vote.
“For years he talked conservative at home but as soon as he got back to Washington and crawled in the swamp he sided with Nancy Pelosi,” Fry said. “I’m running for Congress because its time to clean up this mess … leaders that understand its time to get serious, not socialist.”
He added: “Above all, we need leaders who can be counted on to stand with proven conservative leaders like Donald Trump.”
This story was originally published March 12, 2022 at 5:48 PM with the headline "‘Time to clean up this mess.’ Russell Fry — Trump’s pick for Congress — addresses rally."
