Sen. TIM SCOTT is having a moment on the campaign trail. A new Fox Business Iowa poll is the latest survey showing the South Carolinian Republican gaining on RON DeSANTIS in early-voting states. Since launching his bid in May, Scott’s been on a slow but steady rise and has consistently notched the highest favorability ratings in the field. He’s also amassed an impressive war chest that’s already allowed him to bombard early states with his story of going from “cotton to Congress” — with more to come this fall. Rival campaigns have noticed. And now, like the proverbial crabs in a pot, they have started plotting an effort to arrest Scott’s momentum and drag him back into the pack.
In recent days, super PACs associated with DeSantis and NIKKI HALEY have singled out Scott for criticism. Operatives in multiple campaigns, we’re told, are beefing up their oppo files on the senator, and some briefed Playbook in recent days about the likely lines of attack.