Sen. Tim Scott takes the first step toward a 2024 presidential run

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) has announced that he will be forming an exploratory committee for a potential presidential run in 2024, indicating that he may become a contender in the Republican primary field dominated by former President Donald Trump. The committee will enable him to amass funds for travel and polling to test his viability.

Joining a Republican nomination contest that features Nikki Haley, Asa Hutchinson, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, among others, 57-year-old Scott is set to campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states on the Republican primary calendar, as well as in his native state of South Carolina, which will come early in the year.

Scott has been active in police reform since his tenure in the Senate and has wielded his influence to help pass criminal justice reform legislation under the Trump administration. He has also been a popular choice to give the Republican response to President Joe Biden’s addresses to Congress. Known for his inspiring speeches and oratory skills, Scott is the first black Southern senator since Reconstruction and has served in multiple positions from the Charleston City Council to the U.S. House of Representatives before being appointed senator by former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

However, Scott will need to gain more national attention and support, as recent polls give him just 0.8% of the vote, with Trump and DeSantis in the lead. Nonetheless, if he enters the race, Scott will be the highest-ranking black official to run for president on the Republican ticket.