The 57-year-old senator brings an inspiring life story to the campaign, growing up poor and single-parent to becoming one of the most influential Republicans from the country.
“Joe Biden and the radical left are attacking every rung of the ladder that helped me climb and that is why today I am announcing that I am running for President of the United States,” Scott said to cheers from supporters in his hometown. North Charleston.
“They attack our American values, our schools, our economy and our security. But not while I’m here, not on my period. That will not work. I cannot stand idly by while this happens in the United States.”
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Scott has spent months touring states deemed crucial to gain early momentum in his party’s primary raceunderscoring his Christian faith and his perspective as the only African-American Republican in the Senate.
The senator joins a growing group hoping to defeat Donald Trump, but he faces a tough task to match the former president’s profile.
The most recent polls show support for Scott below 2% – an average of 54 points behind Trump.
Other candidates include Trump’s first ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, technology entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and popular radio host Larry Elder, the first African-American to enter the race.
The entrance Republican Senator Tim Scott launches into the US presidential race was first published on newspaper TODAY.