Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., grabbed headlines on Monday as he looks to reset his struggling presidential campaign.
Scott traveled to Chicago, where he delivered a speech focused on race. His address was the first time Scott spoke before a mostly Black audience, NBC’s Nnamdi Egwuonwu reports.
Egwuonwu wrote that Scott “spent much of the speech accusing the left of failing cities like Chicago, exploiting race for partisan gain and ‘getting soft on crime, defending failing schools, undermining traditional values and weakening capitalism.’
Scott’s campaign also announced that his presidential campaign will refocus most of its resources on Iowa, per Egwuonwu and NBC’s Ali Vitali. The shift comes as the pro-Scott super PAC has cut its fall advertising as Scott has struggled to break through the primary field.
Also on Monday, Scott took a rare direct shot at the primary’s frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, during an event in Iowa, per Egwuonwu and NBC’s Alex Tabet.
“I don’t think he can win,” Scott said. “You have to be able to win in Georgia. I don’t think he can win in Georgia. I think you’ll have to be able to win in Pennsylvania.”
As Scott regroups on the campaign trail, Egwuonwu and NBC’s Alec Hernández also report that Scott, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, are both flexing their power as elected officials amid the war between Israel and Hamas.
In other campaign news…
Legal saga continues: After former President Donald Trump’s former attorney Sidney Powell pleaded guilty in a Georgia election interference case, Trump sought to distance himself from her, saying on social media, “Ms. Powell was not my attorney, and never was.” In another case concerning classified documents found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, Trump denied a report that he shared sensitive U.S. national security information with an Australian billionaire.
Vivek’s take: Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy told Politico that the U.S. withdrawing from NATO is “a reasonable idea that I have considered,” adding that he is “also open to reevaluating U.S. involvement in the UN.”
Keep an eye on Liz: Former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., is not ruling out a run for president in 2024, she told CNN on Sunday, calling Trump the “single most dangerous threat” to the nation.
Endorsement alert: Michigan businessman Perry Johnson, who dropped out of the race for the GOP presidential nomination on Friday, endorsed Trump on Monday.
On the stage: Politico reports that former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has met the donor and polling threshold to qualify for the third GOP primary debate next month.
Back in the courtroom: Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., pleaded not guilty Monday to a new charge that he accepted bribes from the Egyptian government. The move came as a new statewide pollfound that over 70% of New Jersey residents want him to resign.
To run or not to run: Wisconsin is the last Senate battleground without a major Republican candidate, but there are two self-funders lining up to run with the “[GOP Sen.] Ron Johnson playbook.”
Endorsement alert, Part 2: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, formally endorsed Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks in the state’s Democratic primary for an open Senate seat, the Baltimore Sun reports.
Debatable: Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear faced off against his GOP rival, state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, in a heated debate on Monday night ahead of their election next month, per the Associated Press.
Santos saga: Politico explores the fight for embattled New York GOP Rep. George Santos’ seat, with multiple candidates jumping in the race as Santos, who is appearing in court on Friday, insists he’s still running for re-election.
