Tim Scott, the lone Black Republican in the Senate, launched his 2024 presidential campaign, hoping his positive message would resonate with a party still loyal to former President Donald Trump.
Scott, 57, spoke to supporters in his hometown of North Charleston, South Carolina, using his childhood as an impoverished child of a single mother to prove that America is still a land of opportunity.
He often stressed the U.S.’s recent racial accomplishments and said the country is not racist. He accused Democrats of stoking racial discord for political gain.
“Joe Biden and the radical left are attacking every single rung of the ladder that helped me climb,” he stated. “And that’s why I’m announcing today that I’m running for president of the United States of America.”
Scott faces an uphill battle to earn the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden next year. Reuters/Ipsos polling shows 1% support among registered Republicans.
Reuters/Ipsos research shows 49% of Republicans will support Trump. However, sources say Trump’s closest competitor, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, may enter the race soon.
Donors and lawmakers love Scott. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison introduced Scott on Monday, along with Senate No. 2 Republican John Thune. In addition, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has retweeted Scott’s campaign twice recently.
South Carolina, a key Republican state, loves Scott. The Deep South state held the third Republican contest in the state-by-state presidential nomination campaign.
To win the state, he must battle former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who entered the race in February and is popular with voters.
During his address, the senator stood out for his positivity and pleas for unity. He uses his humble childhood to prove that the U.S. is still a place of opportunity.
“America is the hilltop city. “We are the beacon in the darkness,” he remarked. However, his appeal to Republicans remains to be seen.
Many Republicans want a brutal election confrontation with Democrats. After New York City prosecutors accused Trump in March of falsifying paperwork to cover up hush money paid to a porn star, it is especially true. Nevertheless, most Republicans consider those claims partisan.
Scott said Biden had made America a “nation in decline.” Despite not mentioning Trump, he stated the Republican nominee must be electable.
“We need a president that persuades not just our friends and base,” Scott remarked.
Trump attacked DeSantis, his major opponent, during the launch.
“Good luck Senator Tim Scott in entering the Republican Presidential Primary Race,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “It is rapidly loading up with lots of people, and Tim is a big step up from Ron DeSanctimonious, who is totally unelectable.”
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