Republican presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) speaks at a campaign town hall meeting at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S., May 8, 2023.
Brian Snyder | Reuters
Sen. of South Carolina. Tim Scott officially announced Monday that he will run for president in 2024, kicking off his substantial campaign. War chest A hopeful message for the test in a Republican primary race that former President Donald Trump will lose.
Scott, the Senate’s only black Republican, balanced his faith and his family’s story with attacks on Democratic President Joe Biden’s record in an announcement speech in North Charleston.
“I am living proof that America is the land of opportunity, not the land of oppression,” Scott said in prepared remarks.
“Joe Biden and the far left are attacking every step of the ladder they helped me climb, and that’s why I’m announcing today that I’m running for President of the United States!”
Scott, 57, faces an uphill battle: Polls of the prospective primary field show him trailing several presidential contenders, including fellow South Carolina Republican Nikki Haley, who entered the race in February. Trump has easily led since launching his campaign last year, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis consistently ranking as the best alternative.
But Scott enters the race with a few key weapons in his political arsenal.
Scott is well liked Among his peers, and he’s ready to jump on the seesaw of high-profile endorsements. Sen. Mike Rounds, R.S.D., offered a non-Trump last week Consent He supported Scott’s upcoming run in the 2024 cycle. Sen. John Thune, no. 2 Senate Republicans and South Dakota’s other senator, Scott, NBC News and other outlets reported Sunday.
Scott also has a financial advantage over many of his rivals: his campaign has nearly $22 million Cash in hand at the end of March. The senator is already using that money to buy $6 million in advertising for TV and radio spots in Iowa and New Hampshire. Those ads begin airing Wednesday as Scott visits those two states for his first major trip as a declared presidential candidate.
Scott’s political presence and messaging champion themes of unity and hope, and stand in stark contrast to the harsh and polarizing rhetorical approach practiced by much of the Republican Party. The first GOP primary debate is scheduled for August.
The long-awaited campaign kicks off three days after Scott filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to appoint a presidential primary. He launched an exploratory team for the White House bid last month and has made frequent trips to key primary states.
DeSantis is expected to announce his candidacy later this week. Trump considered the Florida governor his primary challenger, largely ignoring the rest of the GOP field as he lashed out at his former ally.
That tactic may pay off in the short term, as recent polls show DeSantis slipping as Trump widens his lead. But the primary is still in its early stages, with several contenders expected to join in the coming weeks, including former Vice President Mike Pence.
Trump also faces several major legal challenges. The former president pleaded not guilty last month to charges of falsifying business records related to payments made before the 2016 election, a fight that has begun to unfold. He also faces significant additional exposure from the Fulton County District Attorney’s and federal special counsel’s election interference probes.
