by Sharelle Burt
November 13, 2023
After the last debate, Tim Scott called it quits.
As of Nov. 12, Republican South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is done with his presidential bid.
Scott sat down virtually with Fox News’ Trey Gowdy for an interview while fighting the flu. During the conversation, Scott dropped a bombshell that caught Gowdy entirely off guard, announcing that it won’t be as a presidential candidate the next time he visits Iowa.
“When I return to Iowa, it will not be as a presidential candidate,” Scott said. “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.”
Not only was Gowdy, a former GOP representative, surprised, but so was Scott’s staff. Several staff members said they learned about the campaign suspension at the same time the world did. Before his announcement, the senator’s campaign sent out another fundraising email.
“We want to give you ONE LAST CHANCE to donate this weekend and help Tim reach his campaign goal,” the email read. “Can you chip in to help Tim win?”
Scott’s withdrawal from the presidential race comes a few days after the third Republican debate on Nov. 8 in Miami. During his campaign, launched in May 2023, Scott had been trying to catch up to the 2024 frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, who is still leading by large margins in primary polls in key states like Iowa. According to a poll from NBC News, Des Moines, and Mediacom, Scott garnered 7% support, which put him in fourth place.
Scott’s campaign took a lot of hits over the past few months. His campaign and super PAC spent nearly $25 million on ads in Iowa and other early states to highlight him as an optimistic conservative. However, money grew tight, and his poll numbers began to dip.
Former South Carolina governor and presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who just jumped to second place in early-state primary polls, celebrated Scott’s efforts on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Tim Scott is a good man of faith and an inspiration to so many,” she wrote. “The Republican primary was made better by his participation in it. South Carolina is blessed to continue to have him as our senator.”
Scott is the second candidate to drop out of the race, behind former Vice President Mike Pence, according to the Associated Press. Pence announced his withdrawal in October 2023 during an appearance at a Republican Jewish Coalition gathering in Las Vegas, saying, “This is not my time.” When asked who he will support moving forward, Scott said he’s not prepared to endorse any of his remaining Republican rivals.