Tim Scott Files to Enter 2024 Presidential Race

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) filed with the FEC to run for president in 2024 ahead of an expected campaign launch on Monday. 

Who is Tim Scott? Scott has served as a U.S. senator for South Carolina since 2013. Labeled “a rising star in the GOP” by Fox News (Right bias), he is the sole black Republican in the Senate. The New York Times (Lean Left bias) went further, calling him “the most influential elected Black conservative in America.” Delivering the GOP response to President Joe Biden’s 2021 joint address to Congress, Scott said, “America is not a racist country," adding, "It's wrong to try to use our painful past to try to dishonestly shut down debates in the present.” On Friday, AP (Lean Left bias) said he was “testing whether a more optimistic vision of America’s future can resonate with GOP voters.”

For Context: Scott enters an increasingly crowded field of Republicans vying to challenge the more combative messages of former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — both of whom are polling much higher than other candidates. Like Scott, DeSantis is also expected to announce his candidacy next week. 

How the Media Covered It: Coverage was widespread across the spectrum. While Fox News joined many left-rated outlets in highlighting Scott’s status as the sole black Senate Republican, articles in other right-rated outlets included this fact much lower in articles; a Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) article did not mention it until the last paragraph.