US Senator Tim Scott teases May 22 announcement on presidential bid

[May 01, 2023]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Senator Tim Scott plans to announce his decision on entering the 2024 presidential on May 22, according to media reports on Sunday, in a potential challenge to former President Donald Trump for the party's nomination.

Senator Tim Scott questions Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.,U.S., May 10, 2022. Tom Williams/Pool via REUTERS

Scott, only Black Republican in the Senate, has sought to focus on his ability "to disrupt the narrative" of race, while criticizing President Joe Biden and other Democrats on crime, inflation and other issues.

He made the announcement at a town hall in South Carolina on Sunday, according to media reports.

Scott launched a presidential exploratory committee earlier this month, which allowed him to raise his national profile and continue fundraising with fewer regulatory limitations than a formal campaign.

He is polling at about 2% support in national polls. Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has not declared a bid but is expected to do so, are the two Republican front-runners by a significant margin.

If Scott formally announces his intent to enter the presidential race, he will join former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in the quest for the Republican nomination.

Former biotech executive Vivek Ramaswamy, conservative talk radio host Larry Elder and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson are also Republican contenders.

(Reporting by Laura Sanicola; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

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