Sen. Tim Scott Announces Bid for White House

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, speaking on the campus of Charleston Southern University today, announced he is running for the Republican presidential nomination.

Scott laced his speech with uplifting mottos and talked about his deep personal faith. Scott, who is sometimes called “America’s Pastor,” walked the stage with ease, with no lectern, while reading from teleprompters and occasionally engaging the crowd with an “Can I hear an amen?”

Scott filed paperwork to run Friday after a months-long effort that began with a “Faith in America” listening tour and an exploratory committee.

Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, and his campaign believe his positive message and inspiring life story will separate him from the growing field of challengers. He faces former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, along with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, venture capitalist Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Former Vice President Mike Pence, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are also considering running. 

A campaign based on faith, opportunity and conservative values 

A Scott campaign official told The Messenger they would focus on conservative values — patriotism and faith. Scott voted in line most of the time with Trump during his presidency. 

But what the campaign hopes will set him apart is his ability to lead on issues he knows and has been personally impacted by, hoping American voters will relate to his experiences as someone who grew up poor in the South and becoming the region’s first Black senator since Reconstruction. 

Charting a path to victory 

In early surveys of the 2024 GOP primary field, Scott regularly polls behind his competitors. 

In the latest Harvard University/HarrisX national primary poll conducted May 17-18, Scott polled at just 1 percent, while Trump was leading with 58 percent and DeSantis was in second with 16 percent. 

The latest survey out of Iowa, the state that kicks off the Republican nomination fight, conducted by National Research Inc., a GOP polling firm, also found the South Carolina senator polling at just 1 percent.  

Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds have already offered their endorsements, and Twitter CEO Elon Musk praised his campaign ad over the weekend. 

A senior Scott campaign official said several things need to happen if they want to win the nomination next year in Milwaukee, including attracting a substantial number of supporters from Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis —and hitting the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire hard in the lead-up to the South Carolina primary, Scott’s home state. 

Winning the South Carolina GOP primary could be challenging, considering Trump’s strength in the state. Scott will also have to contend with Haley, the former South Carolina governor who is  running for president. Scott’s advisers argue that the influx of new voters in the state since Haley was last in charge gives them an upper hand. 

The Scott team announced it is rolling out a $6 million ad campaign beginning Wednesday that will air on broadcast TV, radio, satellite, and cable in New Hampshire. 

The ad campaign will continue through the first GOP debate, according to The Washington Post. 

Scott enters the primary race with more money than most of his competitors, as he’s able to transfer the $22 million sitting in his Senate campaign account to his presidential coffers. For comparison, Trump’s campaign had $13.9 million cash on hand entering April. He spent his 2022 Senate reelection campaign building a war chest to give himself a leg up on the competition, raising more than $42 million against a weak Democratic nominee.