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It’s Looking More And More Like S.C. Sen.Tim Scott Is Headed For A White House Run

The Senate’s only Black Republican has been making stump speeches sharing a message of unity and American optimism.

The likelihood of Sen. Tim Scott running for president in 2024 seems to be growing, with Republicans saying he might bring unity to a party divided by grievance politics.

Scott hasn't announced if he will run in 2024, but he's already making the necessary preparations. After headlining the closing dinner at the Club for Growth's annual donor event in Palm Beach, Fla. last weekend, he has begun hiring staff and pursuing potential donors.

According to The Hill, until now, Scott has put forth a message of unity and encouragement. Although criticizing the Democrats for what he calls their "victimhood" and "despair" politics, he has presented a plan for "a new American sunrise."

This is an appealing message to some Republicans who are tired of the "me first" and problem-focused politics of the most recent GOP presidential administration. And yet, many Republicans express doubt about Scott's chances in a GOP primary, saying that his message of optimism and unity may not resonate with a conservative base itching for a fight.

Scott's political image is vastly different from that of Donald Trump, who signaled a "retribution" focused 2024 campaign in his remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference last weekend.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott Reportedly Preparing for 2024 Presidential Campaign

Scott slammed President Biden, accusing him of exploiting "the painful parts of America's past," in a speech at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, last month. The speech had some Republicans interpreting it as a warm-up for a presidential stump speech. At the same time, Scott emphasized solidarity by calling himself a "messenger of hope."

“I see 330 million Americans getting back to celebrating our shared blessings again, tolerating our differences again and having each other’s backs again,” Scott said. “This is what I see. A new American sunrise. Even brighter than before.”

There is currently no definite schedule for a possible campaign announcement. According to a source familiar with Scott's intentions, the lone Black Republican in the Senate will be returning to Iowa and South Carolina as part of a "listening tour" over the next month or two.

That, however, implies "he has room to grow," The Hill reports the insider emphasized. Scott would have at least one distinct benefit if he decided to enter the presidential campaign. He could easily switch to a presidential race with the approximately $22 million he has stored away for the Senate.

His super PAC, Opportunity Matters Fund, is being managed by two notable Republicans: former Colorado Senator Cory Gardner and former executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee Rob Collins. One Republican source claims that the super PAC has raised even more money since the end of 2022, when it already had more than $13 million in the bank.

A considerable amount of ground would still need to be made up by Scott. Former president Donald Trump leads the pack of announced and potential candidates in polls for the 2024 Republican primary, while governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, is gearing up for a possible presidential bid, is considered the most threatening opponent to Trump.

Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina who appointed Scott to his Senate seat in 2012 is also in the running. Republican insiders say she and Scott are still close friends, but it's unclear how they'd fare against each other in a primary race, especially in their home state where both candidates have presented themselves as new blood in Republican politics.

Both have also outlined a similar set of traditional conservative policy aims including expanding school choice and reducing federal spending.

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