Sen. Scott on reaction to his Biden rebuttal, potential presidential run, racial division
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., joins 'Fox & Friends' following his Republican rebuttal to President Biden's address to Congress.
Sen. Tim Scott’s GOP rebuttal to President Biden’s address to a joint session of Congress is getting a thumbs-up from some influential Republicans in the two states that kick off the presidential nominating calendar.
The senator from South Carolina used his response speech Wednesday night to criticize the president’s proposals and argued that Biden has failed to deliver on the promises he made during the 2020 White House race. The only Black Republican in the Senate charged that "three months in, the actions of the president and his party are pulling us further and further apart."
SCOTT TAKES AIM AT POLITICS OF DIVISION AS HE REBUTTS BIDEN'S ADDRESS
Scott, who’s up for reelection in 2022, is considered by political pundits to be a potential 2024 Republican presidential contender.
New Hampshire GOP chair Steve Stepanek told Fox News on Thursday, "I thought his speech was right on. It was passionate. He really, I think, has the ability to convey his personal story in such a way that people are really brought in by it."
"I’m going to be watching Sen. Scott because I think great things are before him," Stepanek added.
Fran Wendelboe, a veteran conservative activist in New Hampshire, noted, "I have not heard Scott’s name being bandied about."
But she predicted that "after last night, it probably will be, and I’m guessing that he’s probably going to be getting a couple of phone calls from various Republican committees up here inviting him to speak at something."
Asked if Scott could see a Granite State invitation in the future, Stepanek answered, "We’d love to have him up."
TIM SCOTT'S MISSION: HELP REPUBLICANS DIVERSIFY THE GOP
For potential 2024 contenders who face reelection next year, opening up too much about the next GOP presidential nomination race is political malpractice. In an interview with Fox News earlier this month, Scott was quick to downplay any talk of the next race for the White House.
"I can’t imagine thinking about any office beyond winning my primary in June of 2022," he emphasized. "That is my primary objective and then I’ll worry about the general."
Scott declared that his "only objective is to be the United States senator for the great state of South Carolina." Then, harkening back to his high school and college football playing days, he said, "If you are not focused on this weekend, no other weekend matters."
While he runs for reelection next year, Scott is also flying around the country to help fellow Republicans on the ballot in the 2022 midterms. Two weeks ago, those travels took him to Iowa, as he headlined a state GOP fundraising event. The stop sparked more speculation about his possible national ambitions in 2024.
Iowa GOP chair Jeff Kaufmann, ahead of the senator’s trip, called Scott "a man of integrity" and "a man of action."
"I think my folks out here just want to see him up front and personal," Kaufmann told Fox News at the time. "To be real honest with you, I think they want to see the man behind the legend."
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Fast-forward back to the present day, and Luke Martz, an Iowa-based Republican consultant, said that when it comes to 2024, Scott’s GOP response speech "certainly doesn’t hurt."
"You get a big national spotlight opportunity to talk about the distinctions between your party and the president’s and take it from there. This is a great opportunity for anybody," he emphasized.
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