FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., spoke to Fox News Digital about his presidential campaign’s shift of resources to the state of Iowa, and why he believes his campaign is well positioned to make inroads with the evangelical base in the Hawkeye State.
"Iowa chooses presidents and the entire road to the White House starts in Iowa," Scott told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. "I wanted to make sure I anchored myself in a place where I believe our message is resonating. We're seeing a positive response, which has aligned with my faith-filled message. Personal experience seems to match with the Iowa voters, so it's just been a really good experience so far, and I look forward to seeing it translate into votes."
The interview with Scott came a day after his campaign announced he was going "all in" on Iowa and has shifted ad buys from New Hampshire to Iowa, along with staff and nearly all of his other resources.
Scott told Fox News Digital that Iowa is a state "rich in faith" that understands that the "miracle of America is not a miracle, it’s driven by faith."
2024 GOP CANDIDATE FACED WRATH OF ROMNEY AFTER ENDORSING TRUMP, BOOK SAYS: 'DIMINISHES YOU MORALLY'
"Our Founding Fathers should be celebrated for founding a country on ideals, the ideal of religious liberty, religious freedom, and a Judeo-Christian principle," Scott said. "And so having the same perspective and worldview and understanding that the importance of the policy positions that we take or what we're doing is undergirded by the way we do it. And here in Iowa, I see that that message continues to resonate, and it's just been a really good alignment."
The Real Clear Politics average of polling in Iowa shows Scott at 6%, behind former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
Scott told Fox News Digital that his focus on Iowa won't be "attacking" other candidates, but rather on providing a contrast on where he stands on certain issues.
One of those issues is abortion, where Scott said he has "been working on getting the rest of the Republican presidential candidates to join me in a 15-week national limit." He acknowledged that DeSantis pledged support for that position at the last GOP debate, but pointed out that Haley did not.
Scott also explained his stance that the U.S. should not accept refugees from Gaza and said, "Other candidates decided that was a good idea, but backtracked when the polls changed."
