South Carolina Senator Tim Scott has suspended his campaign for President of the United States; “When I go back to Iowa, it will not be as a presidential candidate,” Scott told Fox News’ Trey Gowdy Sunday night.
“I think the voters, who are the most remarkable people on the planet, have been really clear — they’re telling me, ‘Not now, Tim,’” Scott added.
Scott has suspended his campaign just five days after the third GOP debate in Miami, Florida.
From The New York Post:
Scott wasn’t even the most popular South Carolinian in the race, with that distinction going to former Palmetto State Gov. Nikki Haley.
The 58-year-old had campaigned on an optimistic message about his life story belying liberal tropes of American oppression of its minority populations, but surveys indicated little appetite for that among Republican voters.
A benchmark Iowa poll published late last month showed Scott getting just 7% support, nine percentage points behind Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and a whopping 36 percentage points behind Trump.
However, Scott was widely expected to fight on and try to at least qualify for the fourth debate. The Associated Press reported late Sunday that campaign staffers had no advance knowledge that Scott would drop out before he went on the FNC airwaves.
“I’m gonna respect the voters, and I’m gonna hold on and keep working really hard and look forward to another opportunity,” Scott told Gowdy, who appeared stunned by his former colleague’s announcement.
“I’m trying to process this information, and I’m trying to do it on live television, so forgive me,” said Gowdy, who later lamented that “maybe I should ask the voters what it says about the Republican Party” that Scott felt he could not remain in the race with two months still to go before the first nominating contest.
“I do think that sometimes optimism in the midst of chaos isn’t seen through the proper prism,” the senator suggested.
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
Tim Scott suspends 2024 presidential campaign https://t.co/4dPnonuGWT pic.twitter.com/Vsfv9rGh7M
— New York Post (@nypost) November 13, 2023
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