South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott gets ready to launch bid for 2024
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, a Republican, is laying the groundwork ahead of an anticipated announcement next week where he is expected to launch his 2024 presidential campaign.
Politico reported that former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam will serve as the national co-chairman of Scott’s campaign.
“In the end, one of the things I learned from being in elected office is it really does matter who we elect,” said Haslam, who previously chaired the Republican Governors Association. “The more I talked to Tim, the more I became convinced that he’s got a message that the country really needs to hear right now.”
Additionally, Michael “Mikee” Johnson, a South Carolina-based business leader, will step in as the national finance co-chairman and Zac Moffatt, CEO of the Republican political firm Targeted Victory, will also be involved.
How does Sen. Tim Scott fare against other GOP candidates?
Scott launched a presidential exploratory committee for the 2024 election nearly a month ago.
Related
He has about $22 million cash on hand after his senate campaign in 2022, outpacing former President Donald Trump’s war chest by nearly $6 million and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley’s by $18 million.
But his success in fundraising hasn’t translated to high poll numbers, neither has it attracted endorsements from his Senate colleagues.
A Morning Consult poll from May 9 shows Trump ahead with 60%, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is speculated will run, stands with 19%, and Scott trails behind with 1% support.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark, who haven’t endorsed Trump consider Scott a great candidate from the sidelines.
“I’m a big fan of Tim. He is a good friend of mine,” Cruz told NBC News. “I’m staying out of the race and I’m confident that the voters will decide and make the choice. And I look forward to enthusiastically supporting the Republican nominee in 2024.”
Besides Trump and Haley, other GOP candidates in the race include entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu are all reportedly mulling bids.
Sen. Tim Scott and faith
Scott sets himself apart from the crowd by putting an emphasis on optimism and faith, and his “Faith in America” listening tour, which kicked off in February, is a testament to that.
“When you start in a single-parent household, mired in poverty, you watch your mother work 16-hour days, you question whether or not this will work for you,” he said in his appearance on “Fox and Friends” last month. “I thank God almighty that I had mentors and a mother who believed that prayer was the key and faith unlocks those doors.”
Industrialist and Republican donor Andy Sabin said he will back Scott.
“We don’t know a lot about Scott at this point, but I think he’s a very viable candidate,” Sabin told Reuters, supporting Scott’s stance that Ukraine should be helped and that abortion should be federally banned after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Related