PALM BEACH, Fla. – Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina says "so far, so good" when it comes to his listening tour that will help him decide whether to launch a campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate and a rising star in the GOP who won a landslide re-election last year, was asked as he headlined the closing dinner of a three-day donor retreat hosted by the politically influential fiscal conservative group Club for Growth, whether he’ll run for the White House.
"I’m on my faith in America tour. I am learning a lot about whether or not the appetite for a positive, optimistic message anchored in conservatism actually works," Scott told the audience at the retreat, which was held at an exclusive beachfront resort in the upscale southeastern Florida seaside community.
"We’ll continue our faith in America tour. So far, so good. We’re getting tremendous feedback. I hope we continue to do so," Scott added.
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And he said that after a "little while" he’ll "come to a decision on what the American people are telling me."
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Word of the tour, which kicked off late last month with multiple events in Iowa, the state that holds the first contest in the GOP’s presidential nominating calendar, was first reported by Fox News. In another sign he’s likely to launch a White House run, Scott ran digital ads in Iowa ahead of his visit.
Scott on Saturday reiterated that when it comes to 2024, "the mission" should take precedence over "the position."
The senator discussed that mission in a speech centered on his vision for a "new American sunrise."
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Scott told the audience of over 100 top Republican Party donors that "we have to be the kind of champions and enthusiasts that attract more people to our side… we have to have more converts to the conservative message."
"We must be the party of parents. We must say that every single parent deserves a choice because every single parent deserves a chance. We must soundly champion free markets and capitalism. We must take our messages into the corridors of the poorest zip codes in America," he emphasized.
And he said that those factors, as well as emphasizing patriotism, strengthening the nation’s southern border, stressing respect for law enforcement, patriotism, and school choice, "are the key principles to the next American sunrise."
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Former President Donald Trump launched his third White House run in mid-November. Last month, former South Carolina governor and former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley became the second major Republican to declare candidacy. Days later multimillionaire entrepreneur, author and conservative commentator Vivek Ramaswamy launched a presidential campaign.
The GOP nomination field is expected to grow in the weeks and months ahead.
Haley and Ramaswamy addressed the donors at the Club for Growth retreat earlier on Saturday while three potential 2024 contenders – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, spoke at the confab on Thursday and Friday.
Scott cruised to re-election in November to what he has said will be his final six-year term in the Senate. Scott, a ferocious fundraiser, had more than $20 million in his campaign coffers at the beginning of the year, which could be transferred to a presidential campaign. The fundraising war chest could give Scott a head start over some of his potential rivals, or afford him some extra breathing room to make his decision.
"For me the most important thing to do is not to worry about what’s in the treasury – which thank God we do have a lot of money in there – the truth though is if we spend our time talking to people, visiting kitchen tables and restaurants, if we understand and appreciate what’s on the minds of people across the country and specifically here in Iowa, it will give me a better barometer of what they want from leadership," Scott said recently in a Fox News Digital interview.
