How Tim Scott Wins

He doesn’t. Unless …

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Sen. Tim Scott announcing his run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination at a campaign event on May 22, 2023 in North Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

Only three Republicans are capable of mounting consequential presidential candidacies, I think. One has been in the race since November, another will announce later this week.

The third is Tim Scott, who launched his campaign today.

Everyone else, from Mike Pence on down, is a prisoner of events. Unless lightning strikes Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, none has any hope of becoming the nominee.

Scott is different. He controls his own destiny, to a degree.

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  1. Avatar photo
    Ben Connelly

    Most surprising thing in this article is that Larry Ellison donated to a conservative Republican.

    I agree with the analysis for the most part. Scott stands the best shot other than DeSantis and Trump.

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  2. OldBoomer

    Uncle Clarence Thomas called Tim Scott, with vacation recommendations, for the time when Tim would be tired from campaigning.

    All expenses paid, courtesy of the white master.

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    1. Avatar photo
      Ben Connelly

      You should be ashamed of yourself

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  3. Scianti7

    I think Trump would insist on a VP who will do whatever he says. Tim Scott is too big a risk for Trump who continues to believe the thing that went wrong on Jan. 6th was Pence not doing what he was told.

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    Dustin Anglin

    I absolutely could see Trump wanting someone like Scott as a VP, but what politician in their right mind would attach themselves to that disaster. Even if Trump won, do you want to spend 2028 answering questions about your part in the countless number of self inflicted disasters that would be a 2nd Trump term? There seems to be very little upside to being a Trump running mate, win or lose, especially when you have a cosy Senate job to go back to and just have to wait it out for 4 years regardless of who wins 2024.

    Now the real question is whether DeSantis manages to bounce back and might see Scott as running mate material? Would Scott want to stick around for 8 years to seek a 2nd shot in 2032 at age 65? Doesn't exactly sound ideal.

    Seems like Scott's best outcome is Trump fending off DeSantis, magnanimously rejecting being attached to that disaster train, and then setting himself up for a 2028 run having come out of 2024 less bloodied and less humiliated than DeSantis.

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    1. Mercuryll

      This sounds right. No one but the most desperate and craven would attach themselves to Trump. I still think Kari Lake fits that bill. He [Trump] doesn't need a softer counterpoint, an "evangelical" for the religious vote, or any of that this time - just someone to amplify the MAGAness. I just don't see Scott allying himself to that dumpsterfire.

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  5. SN

    Tim Scott's NBC interview:
    https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/sen-tim-scott-makes-his-case-against-trump-desantis-on-conservatism-and-ukraine-175739973709

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  6. Tallredrider

    I am going to make a donation to Tim Scott. I thought 2 years ago that he would be a good president, and think so now as well.

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    ReneFerrerJr

    Tim Scott wont be #45's VP for one simple reason. Tim Scott is no Pussy. Scott saw first hand how #45 treated his vice president of four years--called him a Pussy. Tim Scott is no Pussy.

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    C C Writer

    Haven't run out of buckets of reflexive cold water yet?

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  9. BPhillips

    Personally, if Scott agreed to be Trump's VP, I could never vote for him in a future election. Trump sycophants will never get my vote. I hope Scott doesn't get Trump's "stink" on him, it doesn't wash off easily.

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  10. Jim.H

    A Trump/Scott ticket could be very formidable and hard to counter from either side. None of the establishment republicans would want to risk alienating minorities.

    That might be the way this will go…..

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