OAN Roy Francis
UPDATED 10:34 AM – Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Senator Tim Scott has announced on Wednesday that he has launched a presidential exploratory committee for the 2024 election.
Scott (R-S.C.) released a video on Twitter in which he announced his launch of the committee. The exploratory committee will allow the senator to raise money and then be able to transfer those funds towards an official presidential campaign.
“I will never back down in defense of the conservative values that make America exceptional,” Scott said. “That’s why I’m announcing my exploratory committee for President of the United States.”
Scott recorded his video at Fort Sumter National Monument, where the first battle of the Civil War was fought.
“On this day, April 12, 1861, in this harbor, the first shots of the Civil War were fired and our country faced the defining moment: Would we truly be one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. America’s soul was put to the test – and we prevailed,” Scott said to begin the video.
He targeted the Biden administration and Democrats by arguing that “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.”
The senator then went on to list his priorities and what he will fight for. Among those priorities were defending the Judeo-Christian foundation, protecting religious liberties, standing up to China, restoring opportunities to working class Americans, giving parents a choice in their kids’ educations, defending American borders and streets, and protecting the right to life.
The 57-year-old is currently on what he called “Faith in America” tour, which he claimed would help him decide whether he is going to officially launch his presidential campaign or not. The announcement came before his planned trips to Iowa, New Hampshire.
Should Scott decide to run, he will enter a Primary race that includes a number of high-profile republicans, which include 45th President Donald Trump. Scott will also face former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who had previously served as governor of his home state of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017.
The senator is also known to be a successful fundraiser with more than $20 million in available campaign funds as of the beginning of 2023. He was also chosen by the GOP in 2021 to deliver the rebuttal of Biden’s first State of the Union Address.
Scott had previously hinted at the possibility of running for president, however, this announcement is the first major step that the senator has taken towards solidifying that plan.
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