Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump on Tuesday for his reelection bid in 2022.
“It is my great honor to give Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina my complete and total endorsement,” Trump said in a statement via email. “He is both an outstanding senator and person who works tirelessly for the people of his great state, and the USA. Strong on the military, law enforcement, loves our vets, protects our Second Amendment and our borders. Tim will continue to do an OUTSTANDING job for our country!”
Scott, a first-term senator, is expected by many forecasters to easily win his reelection as South Carolina is a deep red state. It’s not clear if he will face a GOP primary challenge.
Separately, the former president last week endorsed Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) for his 2022 reelection bid.
“Senator Jerry Moran is doing a terrific job for the wonderful people of Kansas. Strong on Military, Vets, the Border, and our Second Amendment, Jerry has my Complete and Total Endorsement for his re-election in 2022!” Trump said in a statement, also through email.
Both Moran and Scott voted to acquit Trump during the Senate impeachment trial last month.
Scott, in media appearances, defended the former commander-in-chief.
“The Democrats should put the blame where it stands, where it should be,” Scott said. “And it does not have to do with the president who said go ‘peacefully’ to protest.”
“The Constitution does not clearly state whether a former president can be tried for impeachment by the Senate, but I believe the impeachment process is intended to be used for considering whether or not ‘The President’ should be removed from office,” Moran said in a statement of his own on Feb. 13. “Because former President Trump is no longer in office, I voted to acquit. Establishing the precedent that the Senate has jurisdiction to convict a former president would cause extreme damage to our country and the future of the presidency.”
The former president, in a statement criticizing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), suggested that he will not back primary GOP candidates who don’t endorse his agenda. During his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Sunday, he also called out all the GOP lawmakers who either impeached him or convicted him.
Meanwhile, Trump has endorsed former aide Max Miller in a GOP primary bid against Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), who voted to impeach the former president.
“Max Miller is a wonderful person who did a great job at the White House and will be a fantastic Congressman. He is a Marine Veteran, a son of Ohio, and a true PATRIOT,” Trump stated. “Current Rep. Anthony Gonzalez should not be representing the people of the 16th district because he does not represent their interest or their heart. Max Miller has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
