South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott announced on Sunday that he will be suspending his 2024 presidential campaign while leaving the possibility of a future run open.
In an interview with Fox News host Trey Gowdy, himself a former South Carolina GOP congressman, on Sunday, Scott revealed his plans.
“I think the voters, who are the most remarkable people on the planet, have been really clear that they’re telling me: not now,” he told an obviously stunned Gowdy after the host asked when Scott planned to get back on the campaign trail.
CNN reported: “The announcement Sunday night took many of Scott’s aides and donors by surprise. Two people close to his campaign said they were not given advance notice, even though it was becoming increasingly clear that Scott was facing an uphill struggle to break through in the GOP primary. The super PAC supporting Scott pulled its slate of television ads in October and, following last week’s third GOP presidential debate, decided not to make a new investment.”
After pointing out that Scott has plenty in his campaign war chest, one of the highest approval ratings within the GOP field, and a very real possibility of doing well in the early South Carolina primaries, the Republican senator demurred. He also said he had no interest in being a running mate to the eventual GOP nominee, which, at the moment, looks like it will be former President Donald Trump, whom Scott did not attack during his campaign.
Scott also refused to back anyone who is still in the race, telling Gowdy, a former GOP congressman from South Carolina, that “the best way for me to be helpful” is to withhold endorsing any candidate.
“I ran for president to be president,” he told Gowdy. “I think I was called to run. I was not called to win, but I certainly was called to run. Being vice president has never been on my to-do list for this campaign, and it’s certainly not there now.”
“I think the voters, who are the most remarkable people on the planet, have been really clear that they’re telling me, ‘Not now, Tim.’ I don’t think they’re saying, Trey, ‘No,’ but I do think they’re saying, ‘Not now,’” Scott added. “And so I’m going to respect the voters… and keep working really hard and look forward to another opportunity.”
Tonight, I suspended my campaign for president.
Traveling this country and meeting all of you has been one of the most fantastic experiences of my entire life.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
God Bless the United States of America. pic.twitter.com/yniJWQMW1N
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) November 13, 2023
