Sen. Tim Scott Launches Presidential Exploratory Committee for 2024 Election

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) speaks before a hearing in Washington on Sept. 14, 2021. Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/Getty Images

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) announced on April 12 that he’s forming a presidential exploratory committee for 2024, making him one of the most prominent Republicans who could challenge former President Donald Trump for the Republican Party nomination.

“I know America is a land of opportunity, not a land of oppression. I know it because I’ve lived it,” Scott said in a video announcing his intentions.

“That’s why it pains my soul to see the Biden liberals attacking every rung of the ladder that helped me climb. If the radical left gets their way, millions more families will be trapped in failing schools, crime-ridden neighborhoods, and crushing inflation. Not on my watch.

“This is personal to me. I will never back down in defense of the conservative values that make America exceptional. And that’s why I’m announcing my exploratory committee for president of the United States.”

In his announcement video, Scott didn’t mention Trump but instead went after President Joe Biden and other Democrats. He said that his life “disproves their lies,” referring to Biden and the Democratic Party.

“Today, our country is once again being tested. Once again, our divisions run deep, and the threat to our future is real,” he said.

“Joe Biden and the radical left have chosen a culture of grievance over greatness. They’re promoting victimhood instead of personal responsibility, and they’re indoctrinating our children to believe we live in an evil country.”

Scott said he was raised by a single mother living in poverty.

“The spoons in our apartment were plastic, not silver. But we had faith. We put in the work, and we had an unwavering belief that we, too, could live the American dream,” he said.

Other Candidates

Aside from Trump, former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has been one of the most recognizable names to enter the 2024 Republican presidential race.

Haley spoke to voters in Iowa on April 10 at Port Neal Welding in Salix, Iowa, a small community near Sioux City on the western edge of the state.

The former governor promoted her candidacy, saying: “At the end of the day, you can’t fix anything if we don’t win. And let me tell you, if you elect someone in this primary that can’t win a general, all of us are going to suffer because of that.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, second only to Trump in popularity for the 2024 cycle, hasn’t yet formally announced his candidacy, leaving Trump with a strong hold on the top spot for the GOP.