Though GOP elected officials have endorsed presidential candidates this cycle at a slower-than-usual pace, the pace is likely to pick up considerably now that voting has finally started. One example of that: Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina confirmed weeks of speculation on Tuesday when he endorsed fellow senator Marco Rubio.
The endorsement came in a YouTube video, which you can watch at the top of this post. Scott, who was elected to his first full term in 2014, had already campaigned with Rubio in South Carolina, which holds its primary February 20. The Rubio campaign leaked out the news of the endorsement shortly after the start of the Iowa caucuses — a move likely intended to ensure some positive attention in the event of a disappointing caucus finish.
It so happened that Rubio got plenty of positive press anyway based on his performance: He out-performed his polling considerably, finishing with 23 percent of the vote and re-establishing himself as the betting favorite to win the nomination.
Scott is the second prominent South Carolina Republican to endorse Rubio. Congressman Trey Gowdy, the chairman of the House’s committee on Benghazi, is also aboard the Rubio bandwagon. Senator Lindsey Graham endorsed Jeb Bush after Graham dropped out of the presidential race in January.
Scott’s video touts Rubio as the only GOP candidate who can beat Hillary Clinton in the general election, and the candidate who best understands people from humble backgrounds such as Scott’s.
It’s a long way from where I grew up to the U.S. Senate, and I believe that the best days of our country are her. Twenty sixteen may be the most important election. I’m putting my confidence and my trust in Marco Rubio because I believe he takes us to that better future. Marco Rubio believes that in America, it’s not about where you start. It’s about where you’re going. We have one shot in 2016 to beat Hillary Clinton. That shot is Marco Rubio.
