Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) spoke of race, faith, and America on Feb. 22 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, as rumors of his potential 2024 bid percolate through political Washington.
“God has already blessed America,” he told the audience.
Scott invoked his experience as a successful black American to reject some of the criticism he has taken as an African-American Republican. Conservatism, he said, had been his “personal proof” that race was not a limiting factor for him.
“I can go as high as my character, my education, and my perseverance will take me,” he said.
“For those of you on the Left, you can call me a prop, you can call me a token, you can call me the n-word. You can question my blackness. You can even call me Uncle Tim. Just understand, your words are no match for my evidence,” he said, in lines that drew sustained applause.
Scott, a Christian, came to Drake as part of his “Faith in America” tour. He will speak later tonight at a local Lincoln Day dinner.
The speech began with a prayer led by Steve Rowland of Iowa’s Rising Sun Church.
Scott shared his story as the product of the segregated American South. His rhetoric and speech rhythms recalled the black American church traditions out of which Martin Luther King, Jr. emerged.
“My mom, who I love dearly, worked sixteen-hour days as a nurse’s aide, changing bedpans and rolling patients. But now she holds the Bible when her son takes the oath of office in the United States Senate,” he said.
“My family chose faith over anger, responsibility over resentment, and patriotism over pity,” he added.
Even as he told a personal story shaped by his particular background, Scott repeatedly hit on the dangers of identity politics, with the senator warning of the “drug of victimhood” and the “narcotic of despair.”
“People see themselves as victims with no hope, no accountability, and no skin in the game,” he said.
He said those seeking to undermine the country might “tell Americans our brilliant Constitution is racist, sexist, and outdated.”
Scott also accused the Left of making life harder for black people in America.
Republican Presidential Field Expanding
Scott’s speech comes as the battle for 2024 begins.Republicans who have formally announced for 2024 include former president Donald Trump, who threw his hat in the ring in Nov. 2022.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley joined the race in February, weeks after the prospective announcement was leaked to the press.
Like Haley, who was introduced on Feb. 20 by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Scott took the time to praise the state’s executive.
In a video posted to Twitter on Feb. 22, Scott drew attention to her work on school choice. The governor signed a universal school choice bill just weeks ago.
“When parents have a choice, kids have a chance,” Scott wrote.
He also mentioned Reynolds during his Feb. 22 speech at Drake.
Joining the race on Feb 21 was Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who announced his candidacy during an appearance on “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
Student Responses
Drake students who spoke to The Epoch Times before Scott’s speech on Feb. 22 didn’t have strong feelings about the senator.Sophie Meronek and Nick Cook are both freshmen studying politics. They were sitting in the back row, in front of the media scrum.
“I consider myself a Democrat, but I believe he [Tim Scott] has a chance,” Cook said, referencing rumors of Scott’s 2024 bid.
He contrasted Scott’s profile with that of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who recently voiced support for a “national divorce.”
“That was a little out of the ordinary to say the least,” Cook said.
“I haven’t really heard much about him, honestly,” Meronek said. “I came here out of curiosity.”
Phineas Cox, another Drake student attending the event, said he didn’t particularly care about Scott’s “Faith in America” message.
He doesn’t have an opinion one way or the other about Scott.
“I don’t think I have enough information on him,” he told The Epoch Times.
After the speech, some students sounded enthusiastic.
Jessica Seelinger, who said she was an independent who leans liberal, told The Epoch Times that Scott’s speech was “really interesting.”
“It’s always great to hear from a lot of different people,” she added.
Dylan Engelbrecht, of Drake’s Young Republicans, said Scott was a “unique voice in the Republican Party.”
Engelbrecht thinks that Scott’s explicit rejection of identity politics places him at odds with the Left. Yet, he believes that Democrats on campus may also respond to the senator’s message.
“That’s how we practice civil engagement here at Drake–Democrat or Republican, coming to each other’s events,” he added.
Ryan Frederick, a politics major and Republican, said he liked Scott’s speech but took issue with the promotion of school choice.
“I think it’s a really valuable thing to do, to bring students to the best school possible. I think the way to do that is by investing in our [public] schools,” he said, adding that he expects to work in education himself.
