The winnowing of the GOP presidential field continues, as South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott announced he is suspending his campaign.
For anyone who has been following the polls, Scott's announcement comes as no shock. Which makes it all the more interesting to read that several Scott staffers were shocked to hear him bow out:
The South Carolina Republican senator made the announcement in a televised interview on Fox News with his longtime friend Trey Gowdy. The news came as a shock to his own staff. Multiple campaign staff members confirmed…they had no prior knowledge of Scott's decision before he did so on live television.
“When I go back to Iowa it will not be as a presidential candidate,” Scott said to a seemingly surprised Gowdy, who raised his eyebrows. “The voters, who are the most remarkable people on the planet … They're telling me, ‘not now, Tim.' I don't think they're saying, Trey, ‘no,' but I do they're saying, ‘not now.'”
So much to unpack here…
First, a nod to the staff who were surprised. Broadly speaking, staffers are true believers. They will put up with a lot – long hours, bad food, constant travel, and seemingly endless crises – because they firmly believe in the candidate.
If the candidate blindsides them a live announcement that it's all over…that is shocking. And not a little bit high handed. But campaign staff are also pros – they will bounce back in new capacities elsewhere.
As for those who put big money into Scott's campaign…you paid your money and took your chances. Time for you all to decide whether to back someone else, or put away the checkbook and go home.
For Scott himself…like a good politician, he's left the door to something else wide open. It goes beyond what he told Gowdy about voters telling him ”not now.” It's that Scott says he won't endorse any of the remaining candidates, preferring instead that his supporters find a new candidate to back based on their own research.
That's just another way of keeping every option open – from a spot on a national ticket, to a possible top job in a GOP administration. All because he didn't pick sides in the primary once it was clear he had no chance to win.
And yes, that means Scott doesn't earn the wrath of frontrunner Donald Trump, who prizes loyalty over ability.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
