Senator Tim Scott announces 2024 presidential bid

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WIS) - South Carolina senator Tim Scott has officially announced he is running for president of the United States.

The Charleston native made the announcement at his alma mater, Charleston Southern University. The event will have a number of political figures making remarks including Senator John Thune leading in prayer, a pledge by Glen McCall, the national anthem being and by Brooke Mosteller-Burris, remarkers by Southerlyn Surratt, an introduction by Ben Scott, and remarks by Time Scott.

Scott began his speech by complimenting his mother, who was a single parent raising the Republican senator, “My momma worked 16-hour days as a nurse’s aide — changing bedpans and rolling patients. It was hard work. It was not glamorous. But those 16-hour days put food on our table. And kept our lights on. They empowered her to move her boys out of a place filled with anger into a home full of love.”

Scott launches his presidential campaign in a GOP primary battle already largely dominated by two commanding figures: former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

During his announcement, Scott said:

But under Joe Biden, we have become a nation in retreat. Retreating from our heritage and our history. Retreating from personal responsibility and hard work. Retreating from strength and security. Even retreating from religious liberty and the worship of God himself. They say opportunity in America is a myth and faith in America is a fraud. But the truth of my life disproves their lies! We are not in decline. We’re in a Biden retreat.

Scott will spend Tuesday with donors in Charleston before a whirlwind, two-day campaign swing to Iowa and New Hampshire.

The Democratic National Committee Chari Jaime Harrison released the following statement about Scott’s presidential bid:

Tim Scott wants to govern from the ‘far, conservative right’ as a proud member of the Tea Party, and his extreme record proves it. Even before he refused to name a policy difference with Trump, Scott was a fierce advocate of the MAGA agenda – supporting national abortion bans and championing plans to end Medicare and Social Security as we know them. As an ‘architect’ of Trump’s tax law, Scott gifted corporations billions and has been a longtime champion of rolling back regulations on big banks. “There’s no question that special interests are celebrating as Tim Scott throws his hat into the 2024 race for the MAGA base.

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