Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) is reportedly making an endorsement of former and potentially future President Donald Trump. Scott himself had run in the Republican primary but dropped out in November. The endorsement comes four days before the New Hampshire primary and a little more than a month before the Republican primary in South Carolina. "Two sources familiar said Scott will endorse Trump at a rally in the Granite State," The Hill reported on Friday.
While New Hampshire's primary comes sooner than that in South Carolina, still in the race is former Gov. Nikki Haley, who trails considerably in her home state. Trump enjoys a strong lead, with 52 percent to Haley's 21.8 percent. An Emerson College poll from earlier this month showed Trump with 54 percent to Haley's 25 percent support.
As The Hill further noted:
One source noted that Trump and former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley were both angling for Scott’s backing in recent days as Trump tries to put the primary contest to bed and Haley fights for political survival.
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The move also harms Haley back in their home state of South Carolina, where voters will head to the polls on Feb. 24. The Palmetto State is crucial to Haley’s slim hopes of winning the Republican nomination.
Reporting from The New York Times also pointed to how the endorsement could factor in who Trump picks for his running mate:
Mr. Scott was traveling to Florida on Friday so that he could fly with Mr. Trump to New Hampshire for the rally, the two people said. His endorsement of Mr. Trump is likely to spur additional discussion of Mr. Scott as a potential running mate for the former president. He is the highest-ranking elected Black Republican in the nation.
Mr. Scott arrived at his decision only recently. After ending his own campaign for president on Nov. 12, he had said he would not endorse “anytime soon.” But he came to the conclusion that Mr. Trump was the best candidate to defeat President Biden, according to one person familiar with his thinking.
Back in July, when Scott was still in the race, Trump was asked about Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo if Trump had a role for his primary opponent in his administration. "Tim is very good. I mean, I could see Tim doing something with the administration," he said. Scott at the time expressed he was not running for second place.
"Tim Scott" has been trending over X, but so has "No Labels," as users question if it's necessary to have another candidate for 2024 with a Trump nomination looking all the more likely.