Republican Sen. Tim Scott officially entered the presidential race Monday morning.
He filed paperwork last week in hopes of becoming the first Black person to win a Republican presidential nomination.
Scott made his announcement in Charleston, South Carolina, where he will make his announcement on his home turf.
He was born and raised in Charleston. He held state and local government offices in South Carolina, and he attended Charleston Southern University, where the announcement was made.
During the rally, Sen. Scott talked about his vision for the future of America and promised to stand against what he calls the radical left.
"Joe Biden and the radical left are attacking every single rung of the ladder that helped me climb. And that's why I'm announcing today that I am running for President of the United States," he said. "They're attacking our American values, our schools, our economy and our security — but not on my watch."
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Scott did not shy away from his message about overcoming adversity and propelling to new levels after growing up in poverty in a single-parent household. One of the main messages he shared was that he does not believe America is a land of oppression, but a land of opportunity. He also honed in on some key talking points that we've heard from other Republican candidates and leaders talking about building the wall and stopping illegal immigration on the southern border.
Scott also doubled down on a point he shared years ago — that he does not believe America is a racist country.
"I will be the president who destroys the liberal lie that America is an evil country," he said. "I think back a couple years ago, when I addressed the nation and I said, 'America is not a racist country.' We need to stop canceling our founding fathers and start celebrating them for the geniuses that they were."
About 1,500 people were at Scott’s announcement. One of those attendees told Scripps News he didn't vote in the previous election but he will definitely be voting for Scott in 2024.
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Scott is entering a growing field of candidates. Former President Donald Trump has already declared that he will be running for president in 2024. Former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley — who appointed Scott to a Senate seat back in 2012 — is also running.
Scott will be competing for endorsements and financial support. The No. 3 Republican in the U.S. Senate, Sen. John Thune, is expected to be in Charleston to endorse Scott. Thune the first person on the rundown of events, starting with the prayers.
A few weeks ago, when Scott announced that he will be forming an exploratory committee, he talked about why he believes he should be president.
"One of the things I've learned and continue to learn on my 'Faith in America' tour is what the people actually want and what they're saying," he said. "They are starved for hope. They consistently respond positively to a message anchored in conservatism, that is optimistic, that is positive. So, I will tell you the more I travel, the more excited I am about where I am in the race and why we started the exploratory committees, because of the success of 'Faith in America' and the time that we've had on the campaign trail."
Later this week, Scott will be going to some of the key early GOP primary states, including New Hampshire and Iowa.
