United States: African-American Republican Senator Tim Scott announces his candidacy for the presidency
Republican Senator Tim Scott during his bid speech for President of the United States, in North Charleston, South Carolina, May 22, 2023. AP - Mic Smith
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In the United States, a new candidate against Donald Trump: the African-American senator from South Carolina announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination on Monday, May 22. Tim Scott was immediately congratulated by Donald Trump, who does not seem to see this candidacy with a bad eye.
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With our correspondent in Miami, David Thomson
His candidacy speech is based on the story of his personal rise: an American story, of a poor and black child in the southern United States raised by a single mother and a grandfather working in the cotton fields. Tim Scott, 57, became the only African-American senator in the Republican Party, he is now seeking his nomination and focusing his attacks on Democratic President Joe Biden.
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Joe Biden and the radical left are attacking every floor of this social elevator that has allowed me to rise. And that's why I'm announcing today that I'm running for president of the United States of America," he said, shouting.
A devout evangelical Christian, the South Carolina senator is credited with only 2% of polls in a party dominated by whites. His candidacy is not likely to threaten the great favorite: on the contrary, Donald Trump even congratulated him on his social network Truth Social.
Tim Scott's candidacy could scatter votes in the Republican primary and thus weaken Trump's main rival, Ron DeSantis. The governor of Florida is expected to formalize his candidacy in the next few days.
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- United States
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