Tim Scott To Lead Republicans Out of Darkness, ‘Sunrise In America’

Maybe this is another ploy to get on the number two spot on the ticket, as Nikki Haley is said to be doing, by announcing her bid for the White House. Years ago the idea of Tim Scott as Donald Trump’s vice president was floated and this was long before Mike Pence and Trump became alienated over January 6 and alleged betrayals, on both sides.

Or, Scott may legitimately think he can snag the top spot on the ticket. And how is he going to do that, exactly? Why, by channeling Ronnie Raygun, what else? The Hill:

In a speech at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, last month that some Republicans saw as a warm-up to a presidential stump speech, Scott criticized President Biden, accusing him of exploiting “the painful parts of America’s past.” But he also struck a note of unity, describing himself as a “messenger of hope.”

“I see 330 million Americans getting back to celebrating our shared blessings again, tolerating our differences again and having each other’s backs again,” Scott said. “This is what I see. A new American sunrise. Even brighter than before.”

Doug Heye, a Republican strategist who first met Scott during his time in the House, said that the South Carolina senator isn’t the kind of person to back down from a fight, but described him as a kind of happy warrior who could offer voters a much-needed change from Trump’s combativeness.

“There are those voters, but that’s not the entire party or the entire primary voter makeup,” Heye said. “He is aggressive and he is a fighter, but he does so with a smile on his face. And after six years of Donald Trump, there’s an exhaustion for a lot of people who want new voices and fresh voices, and I think Scott represents that very well.”

For now, there’s no solid timeline for a potential campaign announcement. Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, is on a “listening tour” of the country that’s set to take him back to Iowa and South Carolina over the next month or so, according to a person familiar with his plans.

Maybe Scott will be the Republican Obama. Color me underwhelmed. And always bear in mind, the more people jump into the GOP primary, the easier it is for Trump to win it. I’m not sure this is such a great idea. Maybe Scott should just test the waters and then do a Larry Hogan and bow out. Hogan’s decision was intelligent and selfless, qualities you don’t see displayed a lot in today’s GOP.