Sen. Tim Scott, the first Black senator from South Carolina and the only Black Republican in the Senate announced his candidacy for president.
He will enter the 2024 race with more cash on hand than any of his rivals and a life story that, in his words, embodies the American dream. Sen. Scott was raised in working-class poverty and rose to become the state’s first Black senator.
Tim Scott Makes It Official
Scott, who is the only black Republican in the upper house of Congress, established a presidential exploratory committee last month to raise and spend money in preparation for a potential run.
In recent weeks, he has made trips to several important early-voting states, including Iowa and New Hampshire.
He officially announced his candidacy on Monday in a speech in North Charleston, South Carolina, that primarily drew from his experience as a poor child, his Christian faith, and his conservative policy priorities.
According to Scott’s supporters, he conveys a more upbeat message than many of his fellow Republicans and is well-liked by both wealthy Republican donors and colleagues on Capitol Hill.
If his own presidential campaign fails, many people view him as a potential running mate for Trump or another Republican.
John Thune, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, gave him his support on Monday. Scott’s largest financial backer and Oracle founder Larry Ellison received a special mention from him at his campaign’s launch address.
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Presidential Campaign with $6 Million Ad-Buy
On Friday, Scott formally registered to run for governor. This action launched a $6 million ad buy in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states in the Republican primary, which will run from this Wednesday through the first GOP primary debate in late August.
But, under President Joe Biden, he claims, it has become a nation in retreat.
Scott chose to take on the current president rather than any primary opponents and gave a more upbeat vision than others to proclaim America is not a nation in decline.
In addition to the few other areas he has previously been to this year, Scott will travel to Hampshire and Iowa later this week.
His formal campaign organization, Tim Scott for America, will be based in South Carolina, where he will be spending Memorial Day weekend.
Despite polling in the low single digits, major contributors, like Oracle founder Larry Ellison, are counting on the senator’s optimistic outlook breaking through and enabling him to eclipse former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, in polls of voters, both of them are in front of him.
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