Things are getting interesting. Senator Tim Scott is set to launch his campaign for president and a fellow senator will be at the event to announce his endorsement for Scott. Senator John Thune of South Dakota and the number two Republican in the Senate is Scott’s second senate endorsement. Politico reports that Scott will launch his campaign Monday in North Charleston, S.C. The first senator to endorse Tim Scott was Mike Rounds from South Dakota. Scott is popular in the South Dakota, apparently.

Rounds has offered effusive praise for the South Carolina senator in recent days and on Wednesday revealed his endorsement in an interview with the Washington Examiner. He is the first senator to support the nascent campaign of Scott, who is expected to launch his candidacy in his hometown of North Charleston on Monday.

“I do,” the senator said when asked if he plans on endorsing Scott. “I’ve already told him I would.”

“I think he is the closest to Ronald Reagan that you’re going to see,” Rounds added.

Comparing Tim Scott to Ronald Reagan happens frequently. Scott is also a happy warrior, usually seen with a smile on his face as he explains conservative policies. He’s an optimistic kind of guy and that appeals to voters. Look for other Senate Republicans to endorse him in the coming days.

So far, the only other candidate for the Republican nomination with endorsements from U.S. senators is Trump. Nikki Haley had Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) at her campaign launch in Charleston who endorsed her. Ron DeSantis has been raking in endorsements from state representatives and senators in early voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire. Most Republican members of the Florida House and Senate have also endorsed DeSantis, though several members of the House delegation from Florida have endorsed Trump. The more the Republican field grows, the more divided the endorsements may get.

Thune has made no bones about not wanting Trump as the 2024 nominee. He soured on Trump during the 2020 election challenge. Trump threatened to endorse a primary challenger to Thune during his re-election campaign last year but it didn’t matter to South Dakota voters – Thune easily won re-election. Since then, Thune made it clear he thinks Trump’s style is no longer suitable for the party and Trump frequent complaining about the 2020 election is not a winning strategy. Thune appreciates that Scott has helped people around the country during the last year and raised a lot of money for Republicans. Those relationships he has been building will come in helpful now.

CNN reports that Thune will deliver the opening prayer at Scott’s launch event.

Thune had previously encouraged Scott to enter the contest, pushing him to visit the early-voting state of Iowa and telling CNN in March that his colleague would be “a great candidate.”

“He’s really well thought of and respected,” Thune said. “I think he’d be a really interesting candidate for president in a field that … could be fairly open.”

On CNN’s Sunday morning political show hosted by Jake Tapper, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said Scott would be a “pretty formidable candidate.”

It’s quickly becoming time when candidates have to make a final decision as to whether or not they will get into the race. This week we will likely see Tim Scott and Ron DeSantis enter the primary race. Others rumored to soon get in are Mike Pence and believe it or not, Chris Christie. The Mayor of Miami is also talking about making his final decision. That’s the thing about the Republican field – we have an abundance of riches with a deep bench of candidates. The Democrats don’t want Biden to run again but they don’t want Kamala either and who else is waiting in the wings? Pete Buttigieg? As it is, Robert Kennedy, Jr. polls at 19% against Biden which is amazing, given what a loon he is and he came out of the blue. But, he and Marianne Williamson are the only two who have the nerve to challenge the president, at least so far.

CORRECTION: Senator Mike Rounds represents South Dakota, as does John Thune. I mistakenly said he was a senator from North Dakota. That has been corrected. – Karen