Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina will pick up a major endorsement Monday as he kicks off his 2024 presidential campaign in North Charleston.
The No. 2 Senate Republican, John Thune of South Dakota, plans to back Mr. Scott in the GOP primary race and will offer the opening prayer at the kickoff event, according to a source familiar with his plans.
Mr. Thune told CNN this year that Mr. Scott is “really well thought of and respected” and would be a “really interesting candidate.”
Mr. Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, had teased his May 22 announcement for weeks and filed paperwork for his candidacy days ago.
He is jumping into an emerging GOP field that includes former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who appointed Mr. Scott to the Senate in 2013 before he won later elections to remain a senator.
Mr. Thune’s endorsement is notable because the senator is breaking from former President Donald Trump, who previously occupied the White House and has endorsements from several other senators.
SEE ALSO: Tim Scott set to announce launch of his 2024 GOP presidential campaign
Mr. Trump is the front-runner in early polling, though Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to launch a bid in the coming days and be a tough rival.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is running and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy has created buzz as an outspoken candidate.
Mr. Scott has signaled he plans to run as a happy warrior, seeing it as a way to distance himself from Mr. Trump’s take-no-prisoners approach to politics.
The senator launched an exploratory committee in April by calling America “a land of opportunity, not a land of oppression.”
“I know it because I lived it,” he said in the clip.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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