U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) recently indicated he would support a 2024 presidential run by his Republican colleague Tim Scott, who was re-elected in November as South Carolina’s junior U.S. senator.
In comments published by Politico, Cornyn said he would “advise him to go for it.”
Several other Republican senators shared similar remarks.
Wyoming Sen. John Barasso said it “doesn’t get any better than Tim Scott,” and Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst said she is “very excited” about the prospect of him running for President.
Scott’s South Carolina colleague Lindsay Graham said he has “one of the most compelling stories of any Republican out there” and would “bring something to the table on day one.” Graham couched those statements by saying he wants to see “what Tim does” before making a formal endorsement.
Scott has seen his profile rise in recent years.
A prolific fundraiser, he campaigned for a number of other Republican candidates during the last election cycle, appearing in television ads in six swing states. During this time, he also published a personal memoir titled “America, A Redemption Story.”
Scott is the only black Republican in the U.S. Senate, representing South Carolina since he was appointed by former Governor Nikki Haley in 2013. He has won each of his elections with over 60 percent of the vote.
Scott gave the Republican response to President Biden’s address to a joint session of Congress in April 2021, and he spoke during the 2020 Republican National Convention. Following the widespread riots sparked by the death of George Floyd during the summer of 2020, Scott authored a bill that would have instituted comprehensive reforms to policing, but it was opposed by Senate Democrats and did not pass.
He has stated this year’s campaign would be his last one as a candidate for the Senate, and he hinted at a run for higher office during his victory speech.
Potential 2024 presidential candidates include former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Former President Donald Trump announced he is running shortly after last month’s midterm elections.
In recent months, Cornyn has distanced himself from Trump, and he angered conservatives when he orchestrated the passage of a sweeping gun control bill in response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas earlier this year.
Scott raised eyebrows when he backed Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski for re-election over Donald Trump’s pick Kelly Tshibaka, who criticized the incumbent senator for frequently voting with Democrats. The American Conservative Union gives Scott a 89.86 lifetime rating, while Heritage Action scores him at 84 percent and Conservative Review gives him a 77 percent rating.
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