Republican presidential hopefuls Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy publicly demonstrated their support for country musician Jason Aldean by incorporating his contentious song, "Try That in a Small Town," into their campaign rallies on Thursday. Haley shared a video on Twitter showcasing a room filled with supporters, the song playing audibly in the background. Her spokesperson, Ken Farnaso, emphasized Haley's small-town upbringing and her commitment to defending values like faith, family, and freedom against what he termed "liberal bullies" attempting to suppress the song.

Ramaswamy also featured the song at a New Hampshire rally, stating on Twitter that he intends to play it at all his events. He framed the lyrics as representing traditional American principles, praising Aldean for resisting pressure to conform. His campaign echoed this sentiment, highlighting the song's themes of law and order, patriotism, and family values.

Additional support for Aldean came from fellow candidate Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump. DeSantis voiced his support on multiple platforms, including Twitter, while Trump expressed his backing on Truth Social. The song's lyrics, which caution against disrespecting law enforcement and the American flag, have drawn criticism from some, who interpret them as promoting violence. The music video's filming location, a Tennessee courthouse with a historical connection to racial injustice, has also fueled controversy. However, Aldean and his production company have defended the choice, noting the site's use in filming various other projects.

Aldean has refuted accusations of racial motivation, emphasizing that the song's lyrics and video footage do not explicitly address race. Despite this, CMT and MTV have pulled the song from their rotations. The controversy surrounding the song continues to generate debate and discussion.