A senator from South Carolina says that the GOP needs a presidential candidate who is “rooted in conservatism and has backbone.”
RYE, New Hampshire – Sen. Tim Scott, a conservative congressman from South Carolina, was not the biggest voice at the first Republican presidential nomination debate, but that was fine with him.
“The loudest voices often say too little,” Scott said in an interview with Fox News last week, taking a clear shot at some of his GOP foes.
Scott is a rising star in the GOP. As he runs for his party’s presidential ticket, he has been emphasizing a positive conservative message. And because he mostly stayed out of the many verbal fights at the first debate on August 23, he didn’t get to enjoy the bright lights of prime time very often.
The senator, who didn’t attack his fellow candidates and wasn’t attacked by any of them, spoke much less than most of his onscreen opponents and seemed to fade into the background as they fought.
Scott has said over and over again in the past two weeks that he was the “adult in the room” at the first fight and that the gunfire between the other candidates on stage only helps the Democrats and the media.
Scott says, “I think we have to have a hopeful, positive message, not just in the primary, but also in the general election, if we want to win.”
And Scott, who was interviewed by Fox News after speaking at a “No BS Backyard BBQ” series event in Rye, New Hampshire, hosted by former GOP Sen. Scott Brown, stressed that in order to win the White House, “we’re going to need a conservative who’s optimistic, positive, rooted in conservatism, and has a backbone. This is the way to get not only our core supporters but also independents to join the team and stop the country from going down the path to socialism.
Right after the first debate, Scott said at an event in New Hampshire, which has the first primary and second overall contest for the Republican presidential nomination, that “following the rules does not give you more time.”
“So, lesson learned,” he said.
But looking ahead to the next debate, which will be held on September 27 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, and presented by FOX Business, the senator said, “I’ll remember that lesson, but I’ll also act the same way.”
In an interview with Fox News Channel on Wednesday, Scott said, “I’ll be an adult in the room for the American people.”
It’s the same word from his team, which tells Fox News that their candidate is staying the course.
But a lot of experts and planners say that Scott missed a chance to make a big move at the first battle.
Mike Dennehy, a longtime Republican adviser from New Hampshire, told Fox News, “I was very unhappy with how he did.”
Dennehy, who has worked on multiple Republican presidential campaigns but is not supporting either candidate this time around, said, “It’s not that he didn’t hit anyone. He just wasn’t interesting or convincing. He seemed to say the same things over and over again.
“Scott being the happy conservative warrior is something I really like. Dennehy said, “I think that’s important in this race.” “He has one of the best public images of all the candidates.”
He said, “Tim Scott needs to be more than just the happy conservative warrior.” He’s in a jam. Right now, he’s running in place and in neutral.”
In the weeks between the two debates, Scott travels back and forth across the early voting states. He also has more money than many of his opponents for his campaign.
Fox News said last month that his campaign is spending $8 million on ads in early voting states, while a super PAC that supports Scott is spending $40 million on ads.
Scott’s political circle sources say that the senator “has the message and the resources to stay competitive” in the months before the presidential nomination calendar starts.