By Kristen Holmes, Kylie Atwood and Melanie Zanona, CNN

(CNN) — Former GOP presidential candidate and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is expected to endorse Donald Trump on Friday in New Hampshire, a source familiar told CNN.

The expected endorsement is a blow of sorts to his fellow South Carolinian Nikki Haley, who appointed him to his Senate seat in 2012, and another sign of Trump’s commanding presence on top of the party.

CNN previously reported that Trump had been in talks with Scott behind the scenes about winning his endorsement, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the talks.

Trump’s inner circle had originally hoped that Scott would endorse before the South Carolina primary, sources familiar with internal discussion told CNN. The timeline was accelerated, however, as Haley saw a spike in the polls in New Hampshire.

The New York Times first reported the expected endorsement.

When asked about Scott’s plans during a visit to a New Hampshire diner on Friday, Haley replied, “We’ll wait and see if it happens.” She then ignored other questions on her way out.

The former South Carolina governor did not know that Scott was planning to go ahead with the endorsement, a source close to Haley said.

By announcing the endorsement ahead of the New Hampshire primary, Trump’s team aims to paint Haley as disliked by the people who would theoretically know her best in her home state.

South Carolina Reps. Russell Fry and William Timmons are also expected to campaign with the former president in New Hampshire this weekend, Fry told CNN, as Trump’s team launches a full court press against the former South Carolina governor.

While Trump’s team has projected confidence that the former president will win the New Hampshire primary Tuesday, his advisers have admitted that they believe the margins are closer in New Hampshire than any other early voting state.

CNN’s Manu Raju contributed to this story.