November 7th 2023.
Tim Scott, the only Black Republican Senator and presidential candidate, recently visited a Black church on Chicago's South Side to deliver a speech. During the unscheduled visit, he told the crowd that he wanted America to focus less on race relations. This prompted some to give him the side eye, especially after his comments during the second Republican debate in September, where he allegedly suggested that former President Lyndon B. Johnson's "Great Society" federal welfare program was a step up in difficulty for Black Americans than slavery.
Scott encouraged members of the church to look at how far America has come in regards to race relations. He noted that although progress has been made, there are still issues with lawlessness, fatherlessness, and joblessness. Scott then went on to criticize the Democratic leadership of Chicago, many of whom are Black, for not offering real solutions.
Scott's speech didn't go over too well with some members of the crowd. Rodrick Wimberly, an attorney, pointed out that Scott had indicated that he doesn't believe in systematic racism. Scott responded by saying that there is racism, but it is not system-wide. His response was met with criticism from political scientist and professor at Georgetown University, Nadia Brown. She argued that Scott's race messaging isn't geared towards Black people and that it is not landing well.
Ahead of the third Republican debate in November, Scott is not doing well in the polls and is on the edge of elimination. Jennifer DeCasper, his campaign manager, wrote a memo outlining the strategy for the upcoming debates. She mentioned that while Haley and DeSantis would engage in a "slugfest," Scott would be selling himself as a conservative who can actually win.
Scott's speech and responses have sparked debates around race relations and how to move forward. It is clear that he and many other share different outlooks on the issue.
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