South Carolina senator and Republican presidential candidate Tim Scott has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race. Scott made the surprising announcement on Sunday during the Fox News segment Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy.
“I love America more today than I did on May 22,” said Scott. “But when I go back to Iowa, it will not be as a presidential candidate. I am suspending my campaign. I think the voters who are the most remarkable people on the planet have been really clear that they’re telling me, ‘Not now, Tim.’”
According to AP News, many of Scott’s staff and donors were taken by complete surprise, but praised the move to “give Republicans a chance to coalesce behind a Trump alternative.”
“He is honorable, knows his supporters were prepared to support him for the duration, and was not going to ask that of his friends and supporters,” said South Carolina businessman and Scott donor Mikee Johnson. “He is energized and ready for the next phase… I told him I did not have a single regret.”
Scott is the latest to drop out of the 2024 Presidential race. Three weeks before him, former Vice President Mike Pence had announced his exit from the race during the October Republican Jewish Coalition event in Las Vegas.
Both Scott and Pence have struggled alongside the rest of the GOP against Donald Trump’s domination over the race. Scott in particular seemed to struggle the most on the debate stage against his other rivals.
That said, many of his rival candidates released statements wishing Scott well, including Ron Desantis and Nikki Haley.
Scott has yet to endorse any of his Republican rivals, stating in his announcement that the best way to be helpful is to “not weigh in on who they should endorse.”
