Republican Senator Tim Scott jumps into 2024 White House race
- The South Carolina lawmaker is seeking to become the first black president from his party, vowing to bring back a way of life under threat by Biden’s Democrats
- He joins a growing field hoping to reel in front runner Trump, but faces a daunting task matching the former president’s national profile
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott launched his bid to become the first black Republican US president on Monday, vowing to fight for a return to the American way of life he said was under threat from Joe Biden’s Democrats.
The 57-year-old brings an inspiring life story to the campaign, having risen from poverty in a single parent household to become one of the country’s most influential conservatives.
“Joe Biden and the radical left are attacking every single rung of the ladder that helped me climb and that’s why I’m announcing today that I’m running for president of the United States,” he told cheering supporters in his hometown of North Charleston.
“You see, they’re attacking our American values, our schools, our economy, and our security. But not on my watch. Not on my watch. That won’t work. I can’t stand by while this is done to America.”
Scott has spent months criss-crossing the states considered crucial to gaining early momentum in the primary contest, underlining his Christian faith and his unique perspective as the only African-American on the Republican side of the US Senate.
He joins a growing field hoping to reel in front runner Donald Trump, but faces a daunting task matching the former president’s national profile.