Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina has revealed in a recent interview with Fox News that he is suspending his presidential campaign. In his announcement, he expressed his enduring love for America but disclosed that his return to Iowa would not be in the capacity of a presidential candidate. Scott stated, “I love America more today than I did on May 22. But when I go back to Iowa, it will not be as a presidential candidate. I am suspending my campaign.”
The announcement on Sunday evening caught many of Scott’s aides and donors off guard. According to two individuals closely associated with his campaign, they were not given prior notice, despite the mounting realization that Scott was facing a challenging uphill battle to make a significant impact in the GOP primary. Senator Tim Scott
The super PAC supporting Scott pulled its slate of television ads in October, and, following last week’s third GOP presidential debate, decided not to make a new investment.
Scott’s presidential prospects dimmed over the last several weeks, beginning with the super PAC’s decision to pull its ads. Last month, the Scott campaign said it was going “all in” on Iowa in an effort to gain on his primary rivals by targeting the first nominating contest on the GOP calendar.
Scott kept the decision to exit the race close to his vest, people linked to his campaign said, but the timing was more surprising than the announcement itself. His team had been worried about qualifying for the fourth Republican debate next month, after being the last candidate to meet the donor and polling thresholds to make last week’s debate. He had been hoping a strong debate performance would jumpstart his candidacy, but even he conceded to advisers and allies that hadn’t happened.