Republican senator Scott edges towards 2024 US presidential run

WASHINGTON: US Senator Tim Scott, who has openly voiced his ambition to be the country´s first Black Republican president, on Wednesday took a step towards a White House run in 2024.

Scott has launched a so-called “exploratory committee” -- which doesn´t necessarily mean he will end up running. But such committees allow potential candidates to raise funds and better assess their chances.

“I will never back down in defence of the conservative values that make America exceptional,” the South Carolina senator -- the only African American Republican in the upper chamber of Congress -- said in a video announcement.

If he does eventually throw his hat in the ring, the 57-year-old Scott will join the so-far small group of Republicans trying to best former president Donald Trump, the current front-runner, for the party´s nomination.