A Super PAC with ties to Republican South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is donating $5 million to the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), NBC News reported Monday.
The Opportunity Matters Fund, which has raised more than $25 million during the 2021-22 election cycle, gave the money to SLF, which is aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The fund would serve as a likely vehicle should Scott run for president in 2024, and has received extensive funding from Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. (RELATED: President Tim Scott? Top GOP Congressman Thinks It’s Possible)
“Senator Tim Scott is a valued voice and leader within the Republican conference who appreciates winning the majority is an all hands on deck effort,” SLF president Steven Law said in a statement to NBC News. “These funds will allow us to amp up the volume in pursuing multiple pickup opportunities to achieve a Republican majority next Congress.”
SLF is grateful for this generous and timely support. “Winning the majority is a team sport.” —Sen. Tim Scott https://t.co/rM8iBMotlR
— Steven Law (@LawAmericanX) September 26, 2022
SLF ended the second quarter of 2022 with more than $104 million on-hand, and has raised more than $113 million in the 2022 election cycle. The group is spending in most battleground Senate races, although it has repeatedly cancelled ad buys in Arizona that would have benefited Republican Blake Masters. McConnell has, however, personally attended two fundraisers benefiting the GOP’s Arizona nominee.
FiveThirtyEight gives Democrats a 69% chance to hold the Senate, with the upper chamber most likely split 51-49. The handicapping site considers Pennsylvania’s Senate seat as most likely to flip.
First elected in 2012 to fill the final two years of retiring Sen. Jim DeMint’s term, Scott has already pledged that the 2o22 midterms will be his final Senate election. He is facing off against Democrat Krystle Matthews, and is considered a prohibitive favorite.
Scott’s prolific fundraising, trips to early primary states, and endorsements of GOP colleagues have lead to widespread speculation that he will mount a presidential campaign in 2024. Republican strategists have repeatedly floated Scott as a potential candidate, although the senator has said he is solely focused on his reelection bid.
“My focus is winning my reelection this year. I have spent very little time thinking about 2024,” he told Fox News’ Bret Baier in June. “The truth is, every Friday night when you’re in high school, you’re looking forward to the next game. This Friday night is 2022, I want to win this game before thinking about the next game.