Tim Scott, a top contender for Donald Trump’s vice president, said he stands by his vote to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 election win.
“I will stand by that decision and the next decision to certify the fact that Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States,” the South Carolina senator said Sunday on ABC News’ “This Week”
Scott also said “the constitution is clear” regarding then-Vice President Mike Pence’s decision to certify the 2020 election despite Trump’s unfounded claims that there was widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election and Biden was not the winner.
Since dropping out of the presidential race in November, the South Carolina senator has served as Trump’s surrogate, using his high-profile status to garner support for the campaign.
The senator had previously dodged questions about whether he would certify the 2024 election regardless of a winner, NBC News reports. His answer on Sunday could put him at odds with Trump, who still contends without evidence the 2020 election was rigged.
However, last month Scott attempted to defend the former president’s revenge threats following his felony convictions, entering a back-and-forth with CNN’s Abby Phillip who pushed back against the senator.
Phillip asked Scott: “When former president Trump says that if he is elected president, he would appoint a special prosecutor to ‘go after the most corrupt president in the history of the United States of America, Joe Biden, and the entire Biden crime family,’ are you saying that that is not something that you would support?”
Scott went on to claim Trump actually said, “the best revenge is sucess,” but Phillip shot back.
“Senator, he may have said it to you in a private room, but he has said it to thousands of his supporters that he plans to go after his political enemies,” Phillip said.
“I don’t understand how you can deny that he has said that publicly,” she continued. “It’s in the public record.”
Scott is one of several vice-presidential candidates Trump’s campaign is vetting. Top names include North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, Senator JD Vance of Ohio and Representative Elise Stefanik of New York.
The former president is expected to announce his running mate in July at the Republican National Convention. There, delegates will likely name Trump the official GOP presidential nominee.
