Tim Scott travels to Iowa after launching presidential exploratory committee

CEDAR RAPIDS — U.S. Sen. Tim Scott met with Iowa homeschool families Wednesday, just hours after announcing he has formed a presidential exploratory committee — a major step toward a formal presidential campaign.

In an interview, Scott said he created the committee after finding that his message was resonating with Iowans and voters across the country on his “Faith in America” tour.

The committee will allow Scott to begin raising and spending money on some limited campaign activities while he continues assessing the field.

“I've been (in Iowa) a lot,” he said. “But the truth is that when you're thinking about the next step, you want to make sure that you're listening to the American people. And certainly here, the first caucus in the country, it's really important to not just hop in very quickly but to actually listen, assess and make sure that the message that I have — which is an optimistic, positive message anchored in conservatism — actually resonates.

“So far so good."

More:Tim Scott moves closer to challenging Trump, other GOP rivals in 2024, forms exploratory committee

A Real Clear Politics rolling average of polling shows Scott, of South Carolina, is the preferred candidate of less than 1% of poll respondents nationally.

A new poll of South Carolina voters from Winthrop University shows the senator is more popular in his home state, which also holds an early nominating contest after Iowa and New Hampshire. There, 7% of voters say he is their preferred choice for president.

Former President Donald Trump leads with 41%. He is followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 20% and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at 18%. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 4.45 percentage points.

Scott said he isn’t worried about the polls at this early stage of the race.

After the private event with homeschool families Wednesday morning, Scott met privately with a group of area pastors before speaking at the Cedar Rapids Country Club in the evening.

In front of a crowd of about 100 people, Scott touted himself as an optimist who is focused on building a brighter future.

"I believe that next American century starts with us," he said. "I'm looking forward to American stories and American dreams that make my American Dream pale in comparison to the next story of what's possible."

He pushed back on what he called a "narcotic of despair" on the left that casts Americans as victims.

"I grew up understanding the power of individual responsibility and the importance of taking responsibility for how your life turns out," he said.

Kelly Hitchman, a 58-year-old Cedar Rapids resident who attended the evening event, said she plans to support Scott after hearing him speak Wednesday.

"Just like the rest of us, he came from the bottom and he worked his way up," she said. "He's a strong man with good faith, and I think he'll be good for the country."

More:Tim Scott inches toward 2024 run, calling for 'creating converts to conservatism' in Iowa speech

In the interview, Scott said his faith would be an important part of any future campaign.

“My foundation as an individual is one that's formed by my grandmother, my mother's faith,” he said. “And it certainly resonated with me when I was growing up that when things are scarce, the one thing that was in abundance was faith and love.”

So far, the presidential field has been defined by Trump, who continues to command the support of his base, despite legal troubles on multiple fronts.

More:Why Donald Trump's arrest may help his presidential campaign in the 2024 Iowa caucuses

Scott suggested the issue is a distraction, saying politicians should spend more time focusing on the voters they serve. But he also suggested the indictment against Trump was politically motivated.

“The weaponizing of the law against political enemies only weakens the fabric of our country,” he said. “It brings into question whether or not the laws of this country are going to be used as a weapon against those folks that we don't like. I will say that as a guy that understands that experience too much, too familiar — that's a bad direction for this country.”

Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.