“Oh No! Tim Scott Struggles to Gain Traction as Super PAC Withdraws Fall Ads

Tim Scott, the first black Republican senator from South Carolina elected since Reconstruction, is facing a challenging re-election campaign and criticism from a prominent super PAC. The pro-Scott super PAC, New Day For America, based in Ohio, recently pulled up its advertising support in mid-September as the senator has struggled to gain traction in the polls and in the media. Despite the outside help, Scott has failed to pull ahead in the polls and continues to receive criticism over his vote for the 2017 Republican tax cuts and a lack of action on racial inequality. The super PAC’s decision to pull their advertising is an acknowledgement of the uphill challenge for Scott as the campaign season gears up towards November and the election. It appears that the super PAC’s ads were not producing the desired impact as Scott continues to struggle with a lack of support from within his own party. His 2017 tax cut vote left moderates with little enthusiasm for Scott’s re-election. Most of his campaign funds have been diverted from outside sources, with major donations coming from Daimler, Kimberly Clark, and the US Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Scott’s absence from television ads, as well as his lack of support from some prominent Republican colleagues, appears to have dampened enthusiasm for his campaign. This is likely part of the reason why the super PAC pulled its support. Regardless of the challenges facing the Scott campaign, this race may still be a close call. The current Republican candidate, Jaemes Smith, has raised $3.5 million, significantly more than Scott’s reported $1.4 million in assembly money. However, the deciding factor in this race may be the support from minority communities within South Carolina. If Scott can capture enough votes from African-Americans, Latinos, and other minorities, he just might pull ahead in the polls and have his re-election secured.