Senator Tim Scott suspended his 2024 presidential campaign on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. On the Fox News program, Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy, Scott said, “I think the voters, who are the most remarkable people on the planet, have been really clear that they’re telling me, ‘Not now, Tim.’ I don’t think they’re saying, Trey, ‘No.’ But I do think they’re saying, ‘Not now.’”
For Scott’s positions on the issues covered by ProCon.org during his candidacy, click here.
Tim Scott, U.S. Senator (SC)
Candidacy announced: May 22, 2023
Personal Life
Full Name: Timothy Eugene Scott
Birthdate: Sep. 19, 1965
Birthplace: North Charleston, South Carolina
Marital Status: single
Children: none
Religion: Christian
Pets: none found
Career, Education, & Publications
Career Highlights:
- Senator, U.S. Congress, Jan.2, 2013-present
- Representative, U.S. Congress, Jan. 3, 2011 -Jan. 2, 2013
- Representative, South Carolina State Legislature, Jan. 3, 2009 – Jan. 3, 2011
- Member, Charleston County Council, Feb. 8, 1995 – Jan. 3, 2009
- Owner, Tim Scott Allstate insurance agency, early 1990s to present
- Former financial adviser
Education:
- BS, political science, Charleston Southern University, 1988
- attended Presbyterian College
Select Publications:
- With Joel N. Clark, America, a Redemption Story: Choosing Hope, Creating Unity, 2022
- Opportunity Knocks: How Hard Work, Community, and Business Can Improve Lives and End Poverty, 2020
- With Trey Gowdy, Unified: How Our Unlikely Friendship Gives Us Hope for a Divided Country, 2018
- With Trey Gowdy, The Friendship Challenge: A Six-Week Guide to True Reconciliation–One Friendship at a Time, 2018
Internet & Social Media Presence
Campaign Website:
Facebook:
Instagram:
Linkedin:
- none found
TikTok:
Twitter:
YouTube:
Should the U.S. Require Universal Background Checks for Gun Purchases?
Not Clear
“All too often we come to the conclusion that horrible situations could have been prevented with thorough and complete reporting. As we tragically found out after the heartbreaking shooting at Mother Emanuel, we know the devastation that can manifest if gaps in reporting allow a madman with a criminal history to obtain a weapon. While we cannot legislate against pure evil, we most certainly should do all we can to ensure these individuals do not have access to any type of firearm. This is a commonsense solution that can fix the reporting gaps, and most importantly, has the potential to save countless innocent lives.”
Editors’ Note: Scott co-sponsored the bipartisan Fix NICS Act of 2017, which strengthens the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007. However, universal background checks would require that even private sales go through NICS (a requirement not included in Fix NICS) and whether Scott endorses this is unclear.
Chris Murphy, “Cornyn, Murphy, Scott, Blumenthal Introduce Fix NICS Act to Enhance Compliance, Ensure Accuracy of Existing Background Check System for Firearms Purchases,” murphy.senate.gov, Nov. 16, 2017
Should the Death Penalty Be Legal?
PRO
“Nineteen months ago, a heartless murderer attempted to start a race war. He believed the damage his racist hands wrought would undo Charleston, South Carolina, and maybe even the nation.
Today that man was rightly sentenced to death. I want to thank the jurors for their service during this agonizing case.”
Editors’ Note: Scott is referring to the June 17, 2015 shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (known as “Mother Emanuel”) in Charleston, South Carolina. Nine Black church members were killed and another injured.
Tim Scott, “Senator Scott Statement on Death Penalty in Charleston Trial,” scott.senate.gov, Jan. 10, 2017
Should Recreational Marijuana Be Legal?
Not Clear
“Each one of us on this [Senate banking] committee represents different states with different marijuana laws, and I understand that some of us may be in very different places when it comes to the legality of marijuana. In my home state of South Carolina, marijuana is largely still illegal—and I myself have concerns with it.”
Kyle Jaeger, “Where Presidential Candidate Tim Scott Stands on Marijuana,” marijuanamoment.net, May 23, 2023
Should Public Sector Employees Have the Right to Unionize?
Not Clear
“I think Ronald Reagan gave us a great example when federal employees decided they were going to strike. He said, ‘You strike, you’re fired.’ Simple concept to me, to the extent that we can use that once again.”
“Today is a great day for workers across the country. We do not begrudge anyone the right to join a union if they so choose, and we also believe that those hardworking folks who do not join a union should not be forced to subsidize union activities. We have seen across the nation that when states have empowered their employees to make their own decisions, free from union coercion, union numbers have plummeted. The decision in [U.S. Supreme Court ruling in] Harris v. Quinn in another step towards putting power back in the hands of the worker, and taking it out of the hands of politically-driven big labor executives.”
Editors’ Note: ProCon has listed Scott as “unclear” because he stated that “anyone” should be able to join a union, but he also stated that the federal government should be able to fire federal employees who exercise their union-enabled right to strike, which would negate the purpose of unions.
Maggie Astor, “Asked about Auto Walkout, Tim Scott Praises Reagan’s Firing of Workers,” nytimes.com, Sep. 19, 2023
Tim Scott, “Senator Tim Scott Statement on Supreme Court Ruling in Favor of Workers Rights,” scott.senate.gov, June 30, 2014
Should Washington, DC, Be Granted U.S. Statehood?
Not Clear
Editors’ Note: ProCon has not found a position from Scott on D.C. statehood, but notes that he voted in favor of H.J.Res.26 which “nullifies the [D.C.] Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022.” Many see Congressional interference with D.C. law as antithetical to D.C. statehood.
Should the U.S. Become Socialist?
CON
“It would be funny if we’re not talking about the greatest nation on Earth. In Biden’s socialist utopia, if you’re able-bodied, you don’t have to work. If you commit a crime, you don’t do any time. If you take out a loan, guess what? You don’t have to pay it back. If you have bad credit, you get rewarded with lower interest rates. This utopia never has existed, but this is the path to socialism…. We need common sense restored in this country, and this [Biden] administration seems to not have an ounce of it.”
Heather Hamilton, “Tim Scott Blasts Biden for Punishing People with Good Credit: ‘Socialist Utopia,’” washingtonexaminer.com, May 1, 2023
Should the Federal Government Pay Reparations to the Descendants of Enslaved People?
CON
“I think slavery was reprehensible, amazingly cruel, and terrible. Number one. Number two, I think reparations has no place in our nation. For a couple of reasons though. Number one we have I think about 3 million Americans at the time we had slavery. About 4% of American men lost their lives in the pursuit of freedom ultimately And so the price that we’ve paid as a nation for it is really high, number one [and] number two.
Number three, if you look at the New Deal that was focusing on trying to lift people up particularly minorities, the result of that was, in my opinion, a devastating impact on families and minority communities. Because you essentially, in order to get the check, you had to literally have the father or husband move out of home at the beginning of the New Deal. Devastating impact. So then this year through President Biden’s first act of 1.9 trillion dollar COVID relief package. Y’all remember the first thing he did in 2021? The only thing missing in that 1.9 trillion dollar COVID relief package? COVID. It has 1% for vaccines and under 10% for COVID-related health. It had 1.7 trillion dollars for social experimentation. One of which is direct checks to people who had kids under six and over six, 300 and 250 dollars.
What we know about solving problems in America as it relates to race, in my opinion, is first to come to the conclusion that we are not a nation with a finite amount of anything. We have an infinite amount of everything. The good news is that our way forward is not race, it’s education. So, to solve the problems that we’re trying to solve, we have to first believe that America has unlimited resources as relates to jobs and opportunity. And second we have to understand that if we can get the poorest kids as Kim Reynolds, as your governor [of Iowa] has done, a masterful job on, providing scholarships, $7,500 worth of scholarships for kids within 300% of poverty. The fastest way for us to have a better future for our poorest kids, disproportionately minority and rural kids is through education. Not reparations. So in my opinion, the ultimate force for good in America is to stop trying to figure out how to divide our nation into tribes and solve issues by tribes, and believe in one American family and figure out how to move us forward.
And the last thing I would say, who gets the money and who gets to pay? How many of y’all all here were in 1860 — [jokingly counts quietly] one person raised her hand. We have to have a conversation back there, okay? So, who pays and then who receives the resources? It’s just a convoluted mess, but what we can say as Americans is that we can chart a course together. But there are a lot of folks who want to weaponize race, not for progress, but to hold on to the power and their control. So the conversation around reparations, in my opinion, has less to do with actually solving an issue and more to do with fanning a flame on an issue that won’t be solved by the conversation that we are never getting there. The best path forward for all of us is to figure out we are all in the same boat. If we keep shooting holes, we’re all going to drown.“
C-Span, “Campaign 2024: Sen. Tim Scott Campaigns in Davenport, Iowa,” c-span.org, July 14, 2023
Should Parents or Other Adults Be Able to Ban Books from Schools and Libraries?
No position as of Sep. 8, 2023.
Should Any Amount of Student Loan Debt Be Eliminated via Forgiveness or Bankruptcy?
CON
“Only one third of Americans have a college degree, and the majority of higher education debt is held by the wealthiest among us. President Biden’s plan to cancel student debt will amount to a $300 billion tax burden that will be paid for by low and middle-class families in the midst of a recession.
My mom is one of millions of Americans who didn’t go to college. She worked double shifts to keep the lights on and provide for my brother and me. Hardworking Americans like my mom and millions of others should not be responsible for this politically-motivated giveaway. It does nothing to solve the cost of higher education and will only pour more fuel on an overheated economy. Our country is in desperate need of better leadership that works for everyone.”
Tim Scott, “Senator Tim Scott Statement on President Biden’s $300 Billion Student Loan Plan,” cc.org (accessed Aug. 7, 2023)
Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16?
Not Clear
“I haven’t thought about it.”
Zaid Jilani, “Despite Surging Youth Activism, Members of Congress Are Reluctant to Lower the Voting Age,” theintercept.com, Mar. 13, 2018
Should the Federal Government Intervene to Lower Prescription Drugs Costs?
CON
“From curing rare diseases to increasing lifespans by many years, recent medical advancements have been nothing short of miraculous for seniors and other at-risk populations. Handing over drug pricing to the federal government would halt that positive momentum and put lifesaving medications further out of reach for too many Americans.”
“The problem is that the Democrats’ plan endeavors to remedy the current situation through price controls. In other words, Democrats propose the federal government should be in charge of deciding the price of treatments, instead of a competitive free marketplace sustained by companies driving innovation.”
Tim Scott, “Ranking Member Scott Releases Report on Democrats’ Plans to Raise Drug Prices,” aging.senate.gov, Oct. 1, 2021
Josh Israel, “Tim Scott’s 2024 Campaign Promise of Cheaper Drugs Contradicts Pro-Pharma Record,” americanindependent.com, May 31, 2023
CON
“I am 100% pro-life. When I am president of the United States, I will sign the most pro-life legislation the House and Senate can put on my desk. We should begin with a 15-week national limit.”
Tim Scott, “Tim Scott Guest Column: A Year after Dobbs, There’s More Work to Do for Life,” desmoinesregister.com, June 23, 2023
Should the U.S. Maintain Birthright Citizenship?
Not Clear
“I think the Congress would have to act. The president cannot do that by himself or herself outright…. I don’t know how you do that [act unilaterally to end birthright citizenship as president] without addressing the constitutional challenges.”
Camilo Montoya-Galvez, “Tim Scott Says Presidents Can’t End Birthright Citizenship for Children of Undocumented Immigrants,” cbsnews.com, Aug. 4, 2023
Should the U.S. Government Provide a Path to Citizenship for Undocumented Immigrants?
No position as of July 21, 2023.
Is Artificial Intelligence Good for Society?
Not Clear
“The reality is, today’s warfare does not look like it did in the mid-1900s or the early 2000s. Modern warfare includes cyberattacks, artificial intelligence, and undetectable weapons like hypersonic flight, and more. There is no need to sugarcoat it. We are falling behind. Both China and Russia have been testing hypersonic missiles that pose significant threats to the United States and our allies. Hypersonic missiles travel at over five times the speed of sound, can be maneuvered while in flight, and remain largely undetectable. Modern missile defense systems will be made obsolete by these types of missiles and the United States needs to do more to understand and develop defenses against these weapons.”
Tim Scott, “Remarks: Sen. Tim Scott Speech on the Future of the GOP at the Reagan Library,” scott.senate.gov, Apr. 19, 2022