COLUMBIA, S.C. — U.S. Sen. Tim Scott won reelection Tuesday to what he said will be his last term serving South Carolina, but the only Black Republican in the Senate may have bigger political ambitions yet.
Scott beat Democratic state Rep. Krystle Matthews for a second full term. He was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2013 by then-Gov. Nikki Haley when Jim DeMint resigned and also won a special election.
Scott, 57, has spent about as much time helping other Republicans as he has campaigning in 2022. He released a memoir called “America, A Redemption Story,” where he tells his story of being raised by a single mother and his rise as a Black Republican in South Carolina.
Scott has remained coy about any plans beyond winning reelection. He has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2024 or later depending on how the field shapes up. Scott has made several trips to Iowa and other states that get an early say in the presidential nomination process.
Scott is the U.S. Senate’s only Black Republican. He is one of the Republican Party’s best fundraisers and got a primetime speech at the 2020 Republican National Convention.