There’s a new name being dropped by Republican Senators of one of their own who might run for president in 2024, and they are very excited about it.
Now to be clear, this Senator hasn’t indicated they are running for president publicly or to the media. But several of his Republican colleagues are chirping about it, which suggests there may have been some discussion behind the scenes.
Here’s more from Politico:
Joni Ernst is “very excited” about a potential Tim Scott presidential run. John Cornyn would “advise him to go for it.” And John Barrasso said it “doesn’t get any better than Tim Scott.”
Even Sen. Lindsey Graham, who spent much of Donald Trump’s presidency sticking to his side, said he’s intrigued by the possibility of a Scott presidential bid in 2024 and wants to see “what Tim does” before he makes any endorsements.
Scott would “bring something to the table on day one,” Graham said, adding his South Carolina colleague has “one of the most compelling stories of any Republican out there.”
Scott’s not personally chatty about the prospect of a 2024 presidential run, declining to talk and directing questions to his staff. But his Republican colleagues are buzzing about his massive reelection victory this year, rising national profile, substantial fundraising hauls and cross-country travels for other candidates. And they’re happy to talk him up.
Scott “is increasing in national prominence and [within] the party,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). “I want to see what the first quarter shapes up to be in terms of people. Anyone who is serious about it is probably going to make a decision by the end of April. … Having somebody like Tim in the mix is positive for Republicans.”
GOP senators think Tim Scott is clearly keeping the door open. His former chief of staff, Jennifer DeCasper, recently left the Hill to start her own consulting firm. The South Carolina Republican also crisscrossed the country this year to campaign on behalf of GOP candidates, attended multiple town halls with Fox News Host Sean Hannity and GOP Senate candidates and also published a memoir earlier this year.
“He’s obviously helped a lot of people around the country in the last year, raised a lot of money and built a lot of relationships that can be very useful if he does,” Thune said.
Tim Scott recently spoke at the Republican Jewish Coalition, along with other potential 2024 candidates, and during his victory speech upon winning reelection, he made a thinly veiled comment about a try for the White House.
“My grandfather voted for the first man of color to be elected as president of the United States. I wish he had lived long enough to see, perhaps, another man of color elected president of the United States,” Scott said, adding that “this time, let it be a Republican and not just a Democrat.”
Scott isn’t the only Republican Senator who might run for president but he’s the newest name thrown in the mix.
Another Republican Senator who might run is Marco Rubio, who has indicated he may be considering it. He told Politico “I’ve run for president before. I know what it entails, and I’ve been clear I’ve been interested in the past, so we’ll see how I feel about that in a few weeks or a few months.”
Add to this names like Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis who could run as well and you’ve got yourself a full blown Republican Primary that is likely only to continue to grow as the year progresses.
We’ll see if Scott actually runs for president. If he does, I’m not convinced he’ll go very far among conservatives after endorsing RINO Lisa Murkowski this year for reelection.