Two Major Candidates Enter 2024 Race This Week

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Good morning everyone!

Here’s some good news to give your Monday a boost. A SpaceX rocket carrying one decorated former NASA astronaut and three private citizens (including a Saudi stem cell researcher) successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida yesterday and should arrive at the International Space Station this morning.

They’ll spend a week conducting a variety of activities, including medical research that could one day help cancer patients back here on earth.

See you live tonight at 9pmET for Monday’s with Mosh!

Mosheh, Jill, & Courtney

🗞 TIM SCOTT ENTERS THE 2024 RACE

This is shaping up to be a big week in presidential politics, with a couple candidates officially jumping into the GOP race: South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Scott is set to announce his candidacy today. DeSantis’ expected entry is Wednesday.

So today’s newsletter is focused on all things Scott.

He is expected to kick off his campaign in his hometown of North Charleston, SC on Monday. The 57 year-old has long been seen as a rising star in the GOP, making history as South Carolina’s first Black Republican congressman, and is currently the only Black Republican in the Senate. Now, he is hoping to become the first Black GOP presidential nominee. He will get a boost from the No. 2 Senate Republican at today’s event, receiving an endorsement from South Dakota Sen. John Thune.

STATE OF PLAY
Scott will join the growing list of GOP 2024 candidates: former President Donald Trump, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and radio host Larry Elder.

DeSantis is then expected to enter the race on Wednesday. (Stay tuned for a deep dive on him in the Mo Newsletter later this week). Also, be on the lookout for official announcements soon from former VP Mike Pence, NH Governor Chris Sununu and former NJ Governor Chris Christie.

“FROM COTTON TO CONGRESS”
Tim Scott was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2011, where he served one term before being appointed to the Senate in 2013 by then-South Carolina Governor Haley. He was re-elected to full terms in 2016 and 2022.

Scott says his own childhood and family history are the epitome of the American dream. He was raised by a single, working mom, and has credited her sacrifices for his success. His grandfather dropped out of school at a young age to pick cotton on a South Carolina farm. One thing to watch is how Scott navigates the issue of race. He acknowledges racism in America’s past, but says the nation is no longer racist and race should not be used as political ‘weapon.’ You may remember his message when delivering the Republican rebuttal to President Biden’s State of the Union Address in 2021. While he said he’s “experienced the pain of discrimination,” he also declared: “Hear me clearly. America is not a racist country.”

His campaign will be led by his longtime aide Jennifer DeCasper, who is the first woman of color to run a GOP presidential campaign.

NATIONAL POLLING
Former President Trump still holds a commanding lead over the GOP primary field, with Scott polling in the single digits, when Republican voters are asked about all candidates. In a hypothetical head-to-head party matchup, Trump currently has a solid 58-point advantage over Scott.

Scott has low name recognition and is largely unknown nationwide. According to a poll taken just last week, 47% of voters have either not heard of Scott or don’t know enough to form an opinion. But those who do know Scott like what they see — the same poll shows his net favorability rating sitting pretty at +7. For context, Trump currently sits at a -1 net favorability rating with the nation's voters.

At the same time, Scott is a prolific fundraiser and his campaign enters the race with $22 million in cash — enabling him to immediately put up some ads and build a solid team across early states.

TIM SCOTT’S VOTING SCORECARD
The senator has generally voted along party lines. Here are some of the highlights:

• He voted to repeal President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act in 2017

• He championed a bill to make child care more affordable last year

• In 2017, he helped craft the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including a provision that created tax incentives for businesses that invested in struggling communities.

• Last month he said he supports a federal abortion ban after 20 weeks of pregnancy. He has not taken a stance on whether abortion medication should be legal

• In the wake of George Floyd's death, Scott supported criminal justice and police reform

WHAT YOU’LL HEAR ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Short story: “the exact opposite of President Trump.”

Long story: Scott has many of the same policy positions as Trump, but is casting himself as a more hopeful alternative to the former president. He’s building his 2024 campaign around an optimistic message, betting that voters are hungry for a change in tone. Scott vows that America’s brightest days are ahead — during a visit to Iowa in February, he made reference to a “new American sunrise.” One big thing to watch is whether Scott will be willing to criticize Trump over the next year, or whether he will go light, hoping to stay in contention for a possible role as his veep.

SOUTH CAROLINA SHOWDOWN
Another storyline: Nearly a dozen years after then-Governor Haley tapped Scott for the open South Carolina Senate seat, they will now be competing as they both try to make history. Haley is hoping to become the first female GOP presidential nominee, while Scott is aiming to become the first person of color to top his party’s ticket.

⏳ SPEED READ

📌 Jeffrey Epstein tried to extort Bill Gates over alleged affair (WALL STREET JOURNAL)

📌 With the looming debt ceiling deadline just over a week away, President Biden and Speaker McCarthy still remain far apart on key issues (NEW YORK TIMES)

📌 Russia claims it has captured the key city of Bakhmut after 9 months (REUTERS)

📌 Large swathes of the U.S. could suffer blackouts this summer… here are the states at ‘elevated’ risk (THE HILL)

📌 Brittney Griner returned to the WNBA this weekend for her first game since detainment in Russia (ESPN)

📌 8 year-old girl sought medical help 3 times on day she died, US immigration officials say (AP)

📌 At least 12 dead in El Salvador stadium stampede (REUTERS)

📌 National Treasure wins the 2023 Preakness Stakes, after a horse with the same trainer was euthanized on the track because of a leg injury (AP NEWS)

📌 1,200 pound Great White shark is swimming off the coast of South Carolina (KPIC)

📌 Target recalls nearly 5 million candles (ABC)

📌 Instagram is nearing the release of Twitter competitor (THE VERGE)

🗓 ON THIS DAY: MAY 22

1906: The Wright Brothers’ ‘Flying Machine’ receives a patent.

1972: President Nixon arrives in Moscow for the first visit by an American president.

1980: The arcade game ‘Pac-Man’ is released.

1993: Zack Morris, Screech and friends graduate from Bayside. The series finale of 'Saved by the Bell' aired after four seasons.

1995: We also said goodbye to Blossom Russo and her fam. The series finale of 'Blossom' aired 28 years ago on NBC.