Tim Scott has announced his withdrawal from the presidential race

Senator from South Carolina Tim Scott announced that he will not participate in the presidential election in 2024 as a candidate.

“I love America more today than I did on May 22,” Scott said Sunday, referring to the date he entered the presidential race. – But when I return to Iowa, I will no longer be a presidential candidate. I’m suspending my campaign. I think the voters, the most wonderful people on the planet, have made it clear to me, ‘Not now, Tim.'”

According to the Associated Press, Scott’s announcement came as a surprise not only to the candidate’s supporters, but even to members of his campaign staff – one of whom told the agency that he learned of the campaign suspension from an interview on Fox News.

Scott has yet to announce endorsements from any of his Republican Party colleagues.

The South Carolina senator has failed to win significant support among Republican voters, according to polls. In a November CBS News poll, respondents gave Scott 4% of the vote: that puts him in fourth place among Republican candidates, behind Vivek Ramaswamy (5%), Nikki Haley (9%), Ron DeSantis (18%) and the top Republican favorite for the 2024 election, Donald Trump (61%). In a recent Morning Consult poll, Scott even had 2% of the vote, behind candidate Chris Christie.

Earlier, in an August poll by St. Louis University and Yougov, respondents gave Scott 5% of the vote.

Tim Scott, 57, is the only African-American Republican in the U.S. Senate. He has held the position in the upper chamber of Congress for a decade.

Scott first came into the national spotlight when he responded to President Joe Biden’s first address to Congress.

Before that, he is remembered for his initiative to create so-called “opportunity zones” that offer tax incentives to investors in low-income neighborhoods (many of which are predominantly African-American).

On the issue of supporting Ukraine in repelling Russian aggression, he said that helping Kiev is “a vital national interest of the United States.” At the same time, Scott called China “the greatest threat to America’s security.”

Earlier, former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence withdrew from the race for the presidency, saying that “his time has not yet come.”

After Scott and Pence’s withdrawal from the race among Republicans, the fight for the presidency continues:

• Former US President Donald Trump;
• Florida Governor Ron Desantis;
• Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson;
• North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum;
• Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy;
• Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie;
• Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.