Scott and Haley use personal stories to criticize ‘woke’ liberals.

Sen. Tim Scott’s Personal Story Drives Republican Presidential Campaign

Sen. Tim Scott‘s personal story is underpinning his Republican presidential campaign as he introduces himself to the public.

But Scott and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley‘s backgrounds could hinder them as much as it could help as they seek to differentiate themselves in a crowded primary field and from so-called woke liberals.

Scott, the country’s highest-ranking black Republican, is using his personal story to connect with voters. In a new ad, he highlights his childhood as the son of a single working mother and how he rose from poverty to become a candidate for president of the United States. Scott’s story is a powerful reminder that America is the land of opportunity, not oppression.

Meanwhile, Haley, who is of Indian descent and the only declared woman candidate, is also running on her record of success. Both Scott and Haley have criticized those who describe the country as a “racist” nation during their respective announcements.

Minority Candidates Shake Up the Race

Scott and Haley are not the only minority candidates who have announced. Multimillionaire entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy also has Indian heritage, and conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder is black. Their campaigns combined create an interesting dynamic for the race amid Democrats’ concerns their party is losing support among some black men and Latino voters.

Some Republicans “hunger” for a minority candidate, particularly a black contender, according to George Mason University politics professor Jeremy Mayer. “So I expect Tim Scott to benefit substantially from his race, which is not unusual in American politics,” he said.

Scott and Haley’s Personal Stories Resonate with Voters

Although Scott and Haley’s personal stories may not resonate with all Republican voters, Mayer noted neither of them can use their backgrounds against other candidates like Vice President Kamala Harris did against President Joe Biden on his busing record in 2019.

A CNN poll published this week found Trump is the preferred candidate for 53% of Republican and Republican-leaning voters, more than double DeSantis’s 26%. Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence, who is expected to announce his campaign in the coming days, are the first choice for 6% of conservative respondents. Scott and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have 2% support. Roughly 85% would consider Trump and DeSantis, while 61% would think about Haley, 60% Scott, and 55% Pence.

CNN’s numbers reflect RealClearPolitics‘ polling averages, which have Trump at 54% support54%