Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) is planning a big event in his home of North Charleston, South Carolina on May 22 and he wants everyone to know it. After months of being asked if he will run for president, he is on the brink of answering that question. He will make a “major announcement” at that event.

Will the event be an official campaign launch? Probably. I’m inclined to think he’ll jump into the race. In April he created an exploratory committee that allows him to raise money and pay for travel as he checks the opinion of the Republican electorate. If he asked me, I would suggest he go on and get in now instead of waiting three more weeks. A later launch will butt up against the campaigns of other Republicans expected to get into the race, most notably Governor Ron DeSantis and former vice president Mike Pence. Both of them are expected to announce their decisions at the end of May or the beginning of June. Why not go on and do it now and enjoy more publicity to himself than being overshadowed by Ron DeSantis? When DeSantis makes his decision known, he will take all the oxygen out of the room, muting the messages the other candidates try to get out.

We know why DeSantis is waiting to get into the race if that is his decision. He’s got a day job as governor and the Florida Legislature is in session. He has said all along that he will wait until the session is finished before he makes his move. Tim Scott, however, doesn’t have that kind of commitment to work around.

Tim Scott has found a lane in the Republican primary. He’s courting voters of faith.

“It’s time to take the ‘Faith in America’ tour, not just on the road, not just to an exploratory committee,” Scott said Sunday at a town hall. “It is time to make the final step … We will have a major announcement and you’re going to want to be there.”

Scott launched his “Faith in America” listening tour back in February, which has included visits to the early GOP nominating states of Iowa and New Hampshire. Other Republicans have also been traveling to those states to try to build support.

He is also the only black Republican senator. He can carve out a unique spot in the Republican primary field, which is expected to grow in the coming weeks. Many evangelical voters who voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020 are now shopping around for a candidate to support. One Wisconsin voter, a 64-year-old man, said, “He did accomplish a lot for Christians, for evangelicals.” But “he’s got a lot of negative attributes, and they make you pause and think, you know? I’d like to see what the other candidates have to offer.”

Tim Scott has a history of speaking unapologetically of his faith as he tells his personal story. He sounds genuine and conservative audiences respond to that.

He will be the only senator so far to enter the primary race. Some names of senators who might get in the race have been spoken about for months but most have acknowledged they won’t be running in 2024. For example, Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton are a couple of high-profile Republican senators who have been frequently mentioned as potential candidates but both of them have bowed out.

Tim Scott is a happy warrior, which is something that appeals to voters. He focuses on the opportunities available to Americans and he is strong on defending American values against the radical left.

“Our goal is to restore hope, create opportunities and protect America,” he said Sunday. “If we do those three things, the greatest century of America, driven by the strongest, most powerful, positive people on earth, will be the next American century. And for us to see that happen, we have work to do in Washington, D.C.”

One Republican contributor with deep pockets is already on board with a Tim Scott candidacy – Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. Ellison is the chief funder of the Opportunity Matters Fund, a PAC that is aligned with Senator Scott. Its focus is on “supporting candidates who back school choice, economic freedom, equal opportunity, and government spending on opportunity zones.” That is Scott’s agenda in a nutshell. As of February 2022, Ellison had already contributed $20M to the PAC.

I’ll be surprised if Scott doesn’t officially enter the race on May 22. All eyes will be on North Charleston.

On May 22nd, you should be in North Charleston.

We will talk about America’s future.

Big things to come.

God Bless you, and God Bless America. pic.twitter.com/O69j6j2jAF

— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) April 30, 2023