Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina introduced Sunday he’s dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.
The surprising determination, made simply two months shy of the Iowa caucuses, was introduced on Fox Information’ ”Sunday Night time In America with Trey Gowdy.” The previous presidential departure from the race adopted the abrupt cancellation of all his marketing campaign stops in Iowa this weekend after he got here down with the flu.
”I am trying ahead to getting again on the marketing campaign path with out query. However once I return to Iowa, it is not going to be as a presidential candidate. I’m suspending my marketing campaign,” Scott advised Fox Information on Sunday.
Moments earlier than Scott made his announcement, his marketing campaign shared a fundraising e mail, asking voters to ”contribute this weekend and assist Tim in reaching his marketing campaign aim.”
”I believe the voters, who’ve been essentially the most exceptional folks on the planet, have been actually clear. They’re telling me not now, Tim,” Scott advised Gowdy.
Scott stated he presently has no intentions of endorsing one other candidate. When questioned about the potential for changing into a operating mate, the candidate firmly acknowledged, ”I ran for president to be president. Being vice chairman has by no means been on my to-do checklist for this marketing campaign.”
Sources aware of the marketing campaign revealed that the announcement took a lot of Scott’s employees members aback.
He made the announcement stay on Fox Information, then instantly held a name together with his stunned marketing campaign employees to tell them of his determination.
”It was a shock to just about everybody on the marketing campaign and most of the people discovered in actual time,” one Scott marketing campaign aide advised CBS Information.
A senior supply near Scott advised CBS Information, ”Republicans usually are not prepared but for an optimistic conservative, ” the adviser stated. ”He is a very good man; got here into the race as a very good man and can go away as a very good man. His standing solely improved. That is onerous to do as of late.”
Scott shifts assets to Iowa as marketing campaign sputters
In latest months, Scott’s marketing campaign confronted challenges gaining momentum. He narrowly met the {qualifications} for the third Republican debate simply days earlier than the deadline.
And regardless of logging essentially the most talking time among the many candidates on stage, Scott’s most viral second occurred post-debate when voters had been launched to his beforehand undisclosed girlfriend for the primary time.
In a latest CBS Information/YouGov ballot, Scott was solely commanding consideration from about 4% of voters, placing him in a distant fifth place behind the frontrunner, former President Donald Trump.
Scott’s determination to droop his marketing campaign comes within the wake of a considerable overhaul to his marketing campaign technique.
Final month, the candidate declared a strategic shift towards Iowa, doubling marketing campaign employees within the Hawkeye state and vowing to go to each week main as much as the primary caucus. The candidate stated his efforts had been meant to safe important floor within the upcoming Republican main.
Largely counting on his religion to court docket Iowans, the senator repeatedly acknowledged that his marketing campaign was ”in it for the lengthy haul,” even after Belief within the Mission PAC, an excellent PAC that had supported Scott’s marketing campaign, determined to drag $40 million in TV advert spending for the candidate.
”We’re doing what could be apparent within the enterprise world however will mystify politicos — we aren’t going to waste our cash when the citizens is not targeted or prepared for a Trump various,” Rob Collins, co-chair of the tremendous PAC, wrote on the time.
Regardless of dealing with challenges in polling, the candidate demonstrated fundraising energy, outpacing many 2024 GOP presidential contenders. Moreover Trump, Scott boasts essentially the most accessible money available, totaling roughly $13.3 million, in line with knowledge from the Federal Elections Fee.
Republican candidates reply
Scott’s Republican rivals instantly took to X, the web site previously generally known as Twitter, to want the senator nicely following his announcement.
Former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley wrote, ”Tim Scott is an effective man of religion and an inspiration to so many. The Republican main was made higher by his participation in it. South Carolina is blessed to proceed to have him as our senator.”
Additionally commending Scott for his management within the Senate, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis wrote, ”Tim Scott is a robust conservative with daring concepts about the way to get our nation again on monitor. I respect his braveness to run this marketing campaign and thank him for his service to America and the U.S. Senate. I sit up for Tim persevering with to be a frontrunner in our social gathering for years to come back.”
In a extra playful tone whereas taking a shot at Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy wrote, ”Tim Scott strikes me as a very good dude. I gave @SenatorTimScott a congratulatory 👊 on stage when the opposite South Carolinian shamelessly copied *precisely* what he stated. Wishing Tim all the perfect again within the U.S. Senate. I am hopeful we are able to persuade him that extra Ukraine help is an terrible thought for America…appeared like he was slowly coming round final week, I used to be glad to see it.”
”I’ve at all times been a fan of Tim Scott. His departure from the race is a shock and America will miss his hopeful message on our future. Regardless of our challenges, I share his optimistic view of our nation and I’ll work onerous to earn the assist of his voters,” Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson wrote.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum wrote, ”Anybody who has the braveness to face within the enviornment deserves our gratitude. @votetimscott. Fought for the perfect of America. Kathryn and I want nothing however the perfect for Tim!”
Former Vice President Mike Pence, the primary of the GOP candidates to droop his marketing campaign, wrote, ”Senator Tim Scott is a person of religion and integrity who introduced his optimistic imaginative and prescient and galvanizing private story to folks all throughout this nation and he’s my pal. I be part of tens of millions in thanking @votetimscott for his principled management previous, current and future and need him each blessing as he continues to serve South Carolina and America for a few years to come back.”
Trump and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie didn’t instantly touch upon Scott’s determination to droop his marketing campaign.
— Cristina Corujo, Nidia Cavazos, Aaron Navarro and Jake Rosen contributed reporting.