Tim Scott, 113th Congress portrait.
Scott, Timothy Eugene
Scott became only the sixth African American to serve in the United States Senate, as well as the first African American to represent South Carolina in that body.
Politician. Scott was born in North Charleston on September 19, 1965 to parents Ben and Frances Scott. His parents were divorced when Scott was seven years old and he spent much of his childhood living with his mother, who worked as a nursing assistant. From 1983–84 Scott attended Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina, on a partial football scholarship before ultimately earning a B.S. in political science from Charleston Southern University in 1988.
Before entering politics, Scott worked in the insurance and real estate industries, becoming owner of Tim Scott Allstate and a partner in Pathway Real Estate Group. In 1995 he won election to the Charleston County Council. He held his seat on the council 1995–2008 and twice served as chairman (2002–03; 2007–08). In 2008 Scott ran successfully for a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives, where he replaced retiring Republican incumbent Tom Dantzler.
After serving one term in the South Carolina Legislature, Scott entered the race for South Carolina’s 1st congressional district. He prevailed among a nine-person field in the Republican primary, receiving endorsements and financial backing from national Republican organizations. He easily won election in November and was part of a large Republican freshman class in 2010, a year that saw the GOP net sixty-three seats in the US House and gain control of the chamber for the first time since 2006. Scott was the first African American Republican elected from South Carolina since Republican George Washington Murray had won a contested election for South Carolina’s 1st congressional district in 1894 (serving until March 1897).
As a member of the House, Scott declined to join the Congressional Black Caucus, instead aligning himself with the Tea Party Caucus, a group that supported cutting the federal budget, particularly non-defense spending, and backed a socially conservative agenda. He joined other Tea Party members in voting against raising the federal debt ceiling in 2011, a move that ran counter to party leadership and then Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH). Despite his Tea Party alliances, Scott found a role in House Republican leadership, where he served as Deputy Whip. He also led efforts to have federal funds allocated to support the dredging of Charleston harbor.
In 2012 Governor Nikki Haley appointed Scott to replace US Senator Jim DeMint, who retired mid-term. Scott became only the sixth African American to serve in the United States Senate, as well as the first African American to represent South Carolina in that body. He subsequently won a special election in 2014 to finish DeMint’s term and then won election to a full term in 2016.
Blake, Aaron, and Chris Cillizza. “Nikki Haley Appoints Rep. Tim Scott to Senate.” Washington Post, December 7, 2012.
Camia, Catalina. “GOP’s Tim Scott to be S.C.’s First Black Senator.” USA Today, December 17, 2012.
“Scott, Tim.” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774–Present.
Terris, Ben. “The Undercover Senator: Tim Scott Goes Anecdote Shopping in South Carolina.” Washington Post, May 7, 2014.
