MEG KINNARD

National politics reporter

Kinnard covers national politics for The Associated Press. She lives in South Carolina.
FILE - The White House is seen reflected in a puddle, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Washington. With roughly a year and a half until the 2024 presidential contest, the field of candidates is largely set. Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have dominated the early Republican race, but other candidates including former Vice President Mike Pence, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina are looking for an opening in case either falters. President Joe Biden faces a couple of Democratic challengers but is expected to secure his party’s nomination. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
Who’s running for president? See a rundown of the 2024 candidates
With roughly a year and a half until the 2024 presidential election, the field of candidates is largely set. Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have dominated the early Republican race.
 
In this courtroom sketch, attorney Todd Blanche stands as he enters a plea of not guilty on behalf of former President Donald Trump, second from right, in federal court, Tuesday, June 13, 2023, in Miami. From left are: Stanley Woodward, Walt Nauta, Blanche, Trump and Chris Kise. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)
What to know about Trump’s appearance in federal court in Miami to face felony charges
A lawyer for Donald Trump entered a not guilty plea for him during his first appearance in a Miami federal court. The former president is facing 37 counts related to the mishandling and retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
 
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., listens as reporters ask questions at a news conference announcing that more than 140 current and former elected officials from South Carolina have endorsed his presidential bid on Monday, June 12, 2023, in Spartanburg, S.C. Scott is among the GOP presidential hopefuls aiming to carry on campaigning amid the developing federal indictment against former President Donald Trump, who is currently leading the Republican field. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)
Scott rolls out dozens of South Carolina lawmakers and local leaders endorsing his presidential bid - update10
Sen. Tim Scott is rolling out endorsements from more than 140 current and former elected officials from his home state of South Carolina. It’s an effort to make a show of force in the first-in-the-South presidential primary state.
 
Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Georgia Republican convention, Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Columbus, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Trump blasts federal indictment as ‘baseless’ at first events since charges were unsealed
Former President Donald Trump is set to make his first public appearances since his federal indictment.
 
The indictment against former President Donald Trump is photographed on Friday, June 9, 2023. Trump is facing 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents according to the unsealed indictment that also alleges that he improperly shared a Pentagon "plan of attack" and a classified map related to a military operation.(AP Photo/Jon Elswick)
Trump indicted: What to know about the documents case and what’s next
Donald Trump’s indictment on federal charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate represents the most serious legal jeopardy so far for the former president.
 
Trump case assigned to judge who faced criticism over her ruling in his favor in Mar-a-Lago search
The historic federal criminal case against former President Donald Trump has been assigned to a judge he appointed who faced blistering criticism over her earlier pro-Trump handling of a search warrant in his case.
 
Republican presidential candidate and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks during U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst's Roast and Ride, Saturday, June 3, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Haley says US forces ‘need to align’ with countries including Russia; campaign says she misspoke
Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley has suggested that United States forces “need to align” with non-European countries including Russia to enhance global security, a remark that comes amid the Biden administration’s approval for millions more in military aid to assist Ukraine in fending off
 
Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis waves to his supporters as he takes the stage during a campaign event, Friday, June 2, 2023, in Lexington, S.C. (AP Photo/Artie Walker Jr.)
DeSantis wraps up 1st early states tour as candidate with more personal touch in South Carolina
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is wrapping up his first tour of early voting states as a presidential candidate, showcasing his personal side in South Carolina with a lighthearted sit-down with his wife and an emotional moment with a military spouse.
 
FILE - Michael Haley talks with supporters during a campaign event for his wife, Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, in the South Carolina state House district she used to represent, April 6, 2023, in Gilbert, S.C. Haley’s husband will soon begin a yearlong deployment with the South Carolina Army National Guard to Africa. The mission will encompass most of the remainder of his wife’s campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. A person with knowledge of Michael Haley’s deployment tells The Associated Pres that a formal deployment ceremony will likely happen in several weeks. It'll be Michael Haley’s second active-duty deployment since he joined the Guard as an officer in 2006. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard, File)
Nikki Haley’s husband to deploy with National Guard to Africa as she seeks 2024 GOP nomination
Nikki Haley’s husband will soon begin a yearlong deployment with the South Carolina Army National Guard to Africa. The mission will encompass most of the remainder of his wife’s campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
 
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley passes an autographed wooden egg to a guest during a breakfast gathering at Saint Anselm College, Wednesday, May 24, 2023, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Haley commits to federal abortion ban but says it’s unlikely without more Republicans in Congress
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Wednesday pledged to sign a federal ban on abortion but again did not set down a marker for what timeline such a proposal should encompass.
 
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis holds up bills he signed during a bill signing ceremony at the Coastal Community Church at Lighthouse Point, Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in Lighthouse Point, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
DeSantis criticizes Trump for implying Florida abortion ban is ‘too harsh’
Gov. Ron DeSantis is criticizing Donald Trump for implying Florida’s new six-week abortion ban is “too harsh.” DeSantis contends the law has widespread support among opponents of abortion.
 
FILE - Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., speaks during the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade on Commodity Programs, Credit and Crop Insurance hearing at Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 2, 2023. Tuberville is facing backlash for remarks he made about white nationalists in an interview about his blockade of military nominees, saying that while Democrats may consider such people to be racist, “I call them Americans.” Tuberville's office later said he was expressing skepticism at the idea that white nationalists were in the armed services. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
Sen. Tuberville criticized for remarks on white nationalists: ‘I call them Americans’
Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville is facing backlash for remarks he made about white nationalists in the armed forces in an interview about his blocking of military nominees.
 
Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event Thursday, April 27, 2023, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Anti-abortion group meets with Trump, weeks after criticism
Calling her meeting Monday with Trump “terrific,” Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B.
 
Republican presidential candidate, former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks about her abortion policy, Tuesday, April 25, 2023, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Haley sees federal role on abortion but calls for consensus
Haley also described the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade last year as a return to state-by-state regulations on the procedure — “the way the issue was decided in our country for nearly two centuries,” she said.
 
Why the AP hasn’t called the Arizona governor’s race
The Associated Press has not yet called the governor’s race in Arizona between Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs and Republican former TV broadcaster Kari Lake.
 
John Davis, real singer behind Milli Vanilli, dies at 66
John Davis, one of the real singers behind the lip-synching duo Milli Vanilli, died of the coronavirus this week. The South Carolina native was 66. Davis was credited as a backup singer on the pop duo’s albums.
 
Democrat says registration key to ousting SC’s Tim Scott
A Democratic state lawmaker is mounting a bid to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Scott. State Rep. Krystle Matthews told The Associated Press that she will try to register 150,000 new voters across South Carolina to tighten the margin Democrats have struggled to close in statewide elections.
 
Attorney Lin Wood: Blasting South Carolina’s top Republicans
The pro-Trump attorney seeking to lead the GOP in South Carolina is taking on two of the state’s most notable Republicans and has questioned the level of loyalty of the state GOP chairman for former President Donald Trump.
 
Trump looms large in race for South Carolina GOP chairman
The contest to lead South Carolina’s Republican Party is turning into a debate over whose support for former President Donald Trump is highest.
 
South Carolina judge: Abortions to continue during lawsuit
A judge wrote Friday that a lawsuit challenging a new South Carolina ban on most abortions is “likely to succeed.” The judge overseeing a legal challenge to the suit also ordered that abortions may continue for the duration of the lawsuit.
 
SC gov lifts mask mandate for restaurants, state properties
Gov. Henry McMaster has lifted mandates on face coverings in South Carolina’s government office buildings and restaurants, leaving it up to state administrative officials and restaurant operators to develop their own guidelines related to the coronavirus pandemic.
 
New SC abortion law remains on hold under judge’s order
A new South Carolina law banning abortions will stay on hold following a judge’s order to extend a temporary restraining order. U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis issued the extension Friday. It runs through March 19.
 
In backing South Carolina GOP chair, Trump remains active
South Carolina’s GOP chairman Drew McKissick tells The Associated Press that Donald Trump is backing him for a third term.
 
South Carolina GOP censures Rep. Rice for impeachment vote
South Carolina Republicans have issued a formal censure to congressman Tom Rice to show disapproval over his vote in support of the second impeachment of former President Donald Trump.
 
Clyburn: Bush called him a ‘savior’ for boosting Biden
House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn says former Republican President George W. Bush lauded him as a “savior” for helping get Joe Biden elected to the White House. Clyburn and Bush spoke during Biden’s swearing-in ceremony.
 
Freshman Rep. Cunningham concedes defeat in SC’s 1st
Freshman U.S. House Rep. Joe Cunningham conceded defeat on Friday in South Carolina’s 1st District. The Democrat said in Charleston that he was proud of the work he had done in his single term in Congress and pledged to continue to effort bipartisan progress as a private citizen.
 
Despite massive Democratic fundraise, Graham easily wins SC
Democrat Jaime Harrison repeatedly broke fundraising records as he tried to beat U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
 
Third-party candidate backs Graham in tightening SC race
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is getting campaign support from a third-party candidate who potentially brings with him a narrow margin of conservative backers who could propel Graham over his Democratic challenger in a tightening race.
 
South Carolina courts reopen with pandemic adjustments
Six months after shutting down the state’s court system in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, South Carolina’s top jurist now says courts may resume in-person operations with considerations for trying to contain COVID-19.
 
SC businessman launches, funds conservative statewide PAC
Businessman John Warren, who nearly bested South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster for the 2018 GOP nomination, is launching a political action committee that could ultimately serve as the springboard for another effort to oust the incumbent, should he choose to run again.
 
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