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Tim Scott’s Hunger Games

Supposedly the G.O.P.’s nicest guy, Scott has developed a reputation for running two of the Senate’s most dysfunctional offices—consumed by high turnover, internal rivalries, and a string of costly political missteps. Some Republicans wonder whether his portfolio has grown beyond his abilities.

Tim Scott
Sen. Tim Scott on the National Mall in Washington, May 2026. Photo: Matt McClain/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Leigh Ann Caldwell
July 27, 2026

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It’s been a tough few weeks for Senator Tim Scott. After suddenly losing his friend, fellow South Carolinian, and biggest champion Lindsey Graham, Scott’s subsequent lobbying campaign for former congressman turned Fox News host Trey Gowdy to succeed Graham collided with Donald Trump’s public endorsement of the late senator’s sister, Darline. Scott, who is head of the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, has discomfited Republicans by hesitating to get fully on board with Darline during her three-week sprint for the nomination.