Bill Haslam keeps options open after Tim Scott quits pursuit of GOP presidential nomination

Former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam’s first substantive step into presidential politics ended faster than he'd have liked. Haslam was named national co-chair of Tim Scott’s campaign in mid-May, but the U.S. senator from South Carolina announced this week he was dropping out of the race.

Scott, who had been lagging in the polls since his announcement, couldn’t catch the momentum of other candidates, let alone Republican frontrunner former President Donald Trump.

Haslam was upbeat about Scott’s chances Nov. 6. In a conversation with Knox News, he was hopeful about Scott's prospects ahead of the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses, saying “two months is a lot of time.”

Scott's path forward, of course, has since changed.

“I think Tim looked at the field, where he was and how much ground he needed to make up to be competitive, and realized like he said himself, this is probably just not his time,” Haslam told Knox News on Nov. 14.

Haslam said he always wants to be involved in the democratic process and find people to help he believes in. This time, he said, it obviously didn’t work out.

“But again, my lesson for folks is always, 'Don't complain about the process unless you get involved in it even if it doesn’t always work out the way you want it to,'" Haslam said.

What happened to Scott’s campaign?

Haslam said he has no special insight into what derailed Scott's campaign outside of an observation that the winnowing of potential GOP candidates came much faster than in a typical presidential campaign.

“I think this year, just my own opinion, it has narrowed faster and is going to continue (narrowing) because President Trump, people either like him or don't like him,” he said. “And if you like him, you feel strongly about it. If you don't, you're looking for an alternative.

“And I think a lot of folks are making up their minds quicker than they might have under other circumstances. And that includes voters and donors.”

What drew Haslam to Scott?

When Haslam spoke to Knox News on Nov. 6, he dived into his affinity for Scott.

“First of all, I liked Tim personally. I love his story – his own personal story – of how he grew up and ended up as a United States senator. I also felt like he had the ability to bring a different voice to the party," Haslam said.

“I remember, to use a Nashville term, that songwriter who can write that song where you go, ‘That’s how I feel’ even more than you can say it. It’s the sense that Tim might have the ability to do that and hopefully call us to a different place.”

Who will Haslam support next?

After the "Access Hollywood" recording of Trump's lewd comments about women was made public in October 2016, Haslam urged Trump to step aside and said, "If he does not step aside, I will write in a Republican for the Office of President."

In an interview with The Atlantic in June 2021, Haslam said the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection "was a moment of crisis and was a seminal moment in the country's history."

Outside of Trump, Haslam's choices are Doug Burgum, Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Asa Hutchinson and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Haslam told Knox News he already has fielded several calls from campaigns asking him to throw his support to another candidate, but he's not ready to make a public decision.

Tyler Whetstone is an investigative reporter focused on accountability journalism. Connect with Tyler by emailing him at tyler.whetstone@knoxnews.com. Follow him on X, formally known as Twitter @tyler_whetstone.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Bill Haslam keeps options open after Tim Scott quits presidential race