DAILY BEAST
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (R) is gearing up to jump into the race for president with a message sharply contrasting that of former President Donald Trump, sources told the Wall Street Journal. Scott—the only Black Republican in the Senate—plans to test a message focused on unity and optimism, and is “excited to share his vision of hope and opportunity and hear the American people’s response,” Jennifer DeCasper, a senior adviser of Scott, said. As the GOP deals with how to move on from Trump and Trumpism, Scott would enter a field that’s set to include former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. Despite Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis not formally declaring a candidacy, Trump’s already gone scorched Earth on the lawmaker and set plans to derail Haley. Scott has positioned himself as a rising star in the party and was chosen as the Republican to deliver a response to President Joe Biden’s joint address to Congress in 2021. He’s already set to speak in South Carolina Thursday during a Black History Month celebration, followed by a stop in Iowa, the first state in the Republican primary, later this month.
