Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the US Senate, formally kicked off his 2024 presidential campaign on Monday, betting that his optimistic message will sell in a party in which many voters are still firmly behind former president Donald Trump.
With only 1 per cent of support among registered Republicans, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling, Mr Scott faces an uphill battle in his bid to win the nomination to take on Democratic President Joe Biden next year.
Mr Scott, 57, last year was one of two dozen signatories to a bipartisan letter sent to Mr Biden before his trip to the Middle East, calling on him to expand the Abraham Accords.
The members of Congress also asked Mr Biden to make clear the US condemnation of the Iraqi Parliament’s ratification of a law that forbids the normalisation of relations with Israel.
Like many of his Republican colleagues, Mr Scott is staunchly pro-Israel. On May 4, he and other senators introduced a bipartisan resolution to celebration of the 75th anniversary of the country's founding.
While Mr Scott acknowledged his candidacy in a filing with the federal election regulator last Friday, his speech to supporters in his hometown of North Charleston, South Carolina, marked the formal start of his campaign.
About 49 per cent of Republicans plan to vote for Mr Trump, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling. His closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, is expected to jump into the race in the coming days.
Mr Scott stands out in part due to his relentless optimism and his calls for unity. He often points to his own impoverished upbringing as proof that America remains a land of opportunity.
