Ex-Establishment Backer Supports Donald Trump

LET “THE DONALD’S” TEA PARTY BEGIN …

Who is Allen Olson?

He’s a “tea partier.” Or at least he was prior to jumping on board the 2012 campaign of establishment “Republican” Newt Gingrich.

After that, we started referring to him as what he is … the latest in a long line of establishment “Republicans.”  Of course that’s what makes his recent endorsement of Donald Trump a little bit surprising.

Isn’t the GOP establishment – especially in Nikki Haley‘s South Carolina – supposed to hate Trump?  Yes.

Olson apparently didn’t get the memo, though.  The former Columbia Tea Party leader threw his support behind “The Donald” during the latter’s appearance in Anderson, S.C. earlier this week, citing Trump’s tax plan as the reason for his endorsement.

“Why settle for assembly jobs when we can also have manufacturing jobs as well?” Olson said.  “I think that is what Trump is proposing and his tax plan will definitely incentives bringing more manufacturing jobs back.”

Olson’s endorsement obviously isn’t a game-changer (although we’ve received a few calls from national outlets asking about its significance).  What does it signify?  That Trump’s appeal in the Palmetto State is extending into GOP establishment turf.

According to the latest aggregate polling, Trump is the first choice of 33.7 percent of South Carolina primary voters.  Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson is in second place at 18.3 percent, followed by former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina (7 percent), U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida (6.7 percent), U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas (6.3 percent) and former Florida governor Jeb Bush.

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