Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
POLITICO
Scott says he’s a better surrogate for Trump than candidate
By Jared Mitovich,
3 days ago
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) became the second contender for former President Donald Trump’s running mate to make his case to FOX & Friends, telling the network on Thursday that he “desperately” wants whatever job can help him succeed in his mission from God to Americans.
“Anyone who's chosen to be the vice president, it is such an honor,” Scott told FOX & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt alongside his fiancée, Mindy Noce. “This is a kid growing up in poverty right here in Charleston having an opportunity to continue to influence this country.”
“I desperately want to fulfill the mission the good lord has given me,” Scott said, “and whatever the position is that helps me get that done, on behalf of the American people, I want to do that every single day.”
Scott was less keen to explicitly address the race for Trump’s running mate than Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), who appeared for his own FOX & Friends interview Wednesday. The sit-downs are part of a three-part series that also includes North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who will talk with another co-host on Monday.
In recent weeks, the South Carolina senator has sought to make his relationship with voters of color and wealthy donors a key part of his vice presidential appeal. A Scott-aligned PAC is spending $14.3 million to target Black voters in battleground states, while Scott last week held a Juneteenth summit featuring a range of high-profile billionaires and has consistently campaigned for Trump since dropping out of the Republican primary.
In the FOX interview, Scott previewed how he could help Trump appeal to Black voters as the vice presidential nominee, invoking his own background and urging the former president to discuss the successes of his 2017 tax cuts on the debate stage.
“Donald Trump has done more for progress from a racial perspective economically than any president in my lifetime,” Scott said, repeating a claim that the tax cuts lowered a single mom’s taxes by 70 percent and alleging that the Democrats are responsible for poverty.
Scott also responded to his past criticism of Trump’s response to the Charlottesville, Va., rally, which he once said compromised Trump’s moral authority. In the days following the clashes with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and Ku Klux Klansmen, which left one person dead, Trump said there were “very fine people on both sides.”
While he said he doesn’t know whether Trump has decided on his running mate, Scott said the prospect of being the first Black Republican on a presidential ticket was “exciting, no matter the outcome” as a representation of his view that the country has achieved racial progress, particularly in the South.
The interview also represented one of Scott’s first public appearances alongside Noce , an interior designer with whom he became engaged in January. Scott and Noce have planned an early August wedding.
As second lady, Noce indicated that her platform could center on “service,” citing her father’s background as a Navy pilot and her brothers’ attendance at military college.
“Navy wives don't get the credit they deserve,” Noce said. “It's truly amazing.”
Trump continues to focus on Vance, Burgum, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as his search narrows. But he is still asking for opinions about Scott and has allowed his campaign to fuel rumors about who he will pick and when The New York Times reported Thursday . Scott will attend Thursday’s debate as a guest of Trump’s, according to The Washington Examiner .
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0