Former President Donald Trump on Monday welcomed Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) to the crowded Republican primary field by wishing his longtime Senate ally “good luck.”
“Good luck to Senator Tim Scott in entering the Republican Presidential Primary Race,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “It is rapidly loading up with lots of people, and Tim is a big step up from Ron DeSanctimonious, who is totally unelectable.”
Trump touted his success with Scott in creating “Opportunity Zones,” an economic development tool that allows people to invest in distressed areas in the United States.
“I got Opportunity Zones done with Tim, a big deal that has been highly successful,” Trump added. “Good luck Tim!”
Moments after Trump’s statement, Scott took the stage in South Carolina to announce his bid for the Republican nomination.
Let's go! https://t.co/w12l1nKrrg
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) May 22, 2023
Scott championed his rise from childhood poverty to the United States Senate. “I chose personal responsibility over resentment. I became the master of my fate,” Scott said.
“Joe Biden and the radical left are attacking every rung of the ladder that helped me climb,” Scott said. “And that is why I am announcing today that I am running for President of the United States of America!”
According to a recent Morning Consult poll, Scott is polling at one percent, tied with Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR).
Trump held a 41-point lead (60 percent) over the rest of the Republican primary field, including presidential hopeful Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) (19 percent), Vivek Ramaswamy (5 percent), and former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) (3 percent).
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.
