Tim Scott, a potential Trump VP pick, launches a $14 million outreach effort to minority voters

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top ally and potential running mate of former President Donald Trump is launching a new effort to win over Black and other nonwhite working class voters he argues could be the deciding factor in November’s elections.

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, will lead a $14 million campaign targeting minority voters in seven key swing states.

Scott’s push comes as Trump’s campaign is ramping up its own outreach efforts to Hispanic and Black voters, especially Black men, in his expected rematch against President Joe Biden. And it gives Scott, one of several Republicans being vetted for vice president, another platform to demonstrate his loyalty — and utility — to the presumptive GOP nominee.

Scott says that, with Trump atop the ticket, he believes Republicans have a unique opportunity to chip into Democrats’ historic dominance with minority voters. Polls show many Black and other nonwhite adults are dissatisfied with Biden’s performance, though Trump could have an uphill battle winning them over given his own unpopularity with those groups.

“Much to the chagrin of many folks, there’s no doubt that African American men are wide open for a political shift of partisanship,” Scott said as he briefed reporters on the effort in Washington this week.

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