Tim Scott set to launch presidential exploratory committee
The South Carolina Republican told supporters he will make a “major announcement” Wednesday morning.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) is expected to announce the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the plans.
In an email to supporters Tuesday, Scott said he planned to make a “major announcement” Wednesday morning on Fox News. The GOP senator has spent recent months taking steps toward launching a presidential bid, and the impending announcement inches him that much closer to officially entering the race.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking the past few months. I’ve been thinking about my faith. I’ve been thinking about the future of our country. And I’ve been thinking about the Left’s plan to ruin America,” Scott said in the email. “From all this and through self-reflection and prayer, I’ve decided to make a major announcement tomorrow and I want to make sure you hear it first.”
The Post and Courier was the first to report on the committee Tuesday evening.
If he does officially enter the GOP presidential race, Scott would join another Republican from his state, former Gov. Nikki Haley. Also in the field are former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, conservative entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former President Donald Trump, the race’s current frontrunner.
And the race is likely to become even more crowded, with other prominent Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence both presumed to be eyeing White House bids as they travel the country on book tours. Some of Scott’s fellow GOP senators have questioned whether he can carve out a lane within the pack.
Scott’s announcement comes as he embarks on trips to two early-primary states, to Iowa on Wednesday and to New Hampshire on Thursday, ahead of a donor summit back in Charleston on Friday and Saturday, which will include a policy discussion and “political update” on Saturday.
Natalie Allison contributed to this report.