In a huge boost to the 2024 Republican presidential field, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) filed his paperwork Friday.
At 57, Scott brings heft and depth to the contest: Win or lose, he’ll help make his rivals and the dialogue better.
He has smarts, passion and calm, anchored by his deep faith and first-hand experience rising from generational poverty to earn his share of the American dream.
And he enters the race with $22 million cash on hand — a record for a first-time prez candidate, per the Federal Election Commission.
He’s low in the polls now, but mainly due to low name recognition.
First step to fixing that comes Monday with a $5.5 million ad buy in Iowa and New Hampshire — the first two contests on the GOP side.
(Democrats have rearranged their primary schedule to protect President Joe Biden from the notoriously rigorous scrutiny of the traditional “first two.”)
Since launching an exploratory committee last month, Scott’s been on a “Faith in America” tour, crossing the nation to share his vision for America.
He believes “America is starving for positive, optimistic leadership” (yep!) and speaks of a “new American sunrise.”
As the only black Republican in the Senate, he’s discussed race honestly while standing by his conservative views, pushing rational criminal-justice reform as well as school choice while calling out the flaws in critical race theory.
In Iowa, he asked his audience: “If you believe we need a little more A-B-Cs and a little less C-R-T, let me hear you scream!”
When the crowd delivered, he responded, “Hallelujah.”
For Sen. Scott’s entry into the race, we offer our own hearty “Hallelujah.”