Tim Scott becomes longest serving Black senator
As the 119th Congress begins on Friday, Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is poised to make history as the longest-serving African American in the 235-year history of the U.S. Senate.
Scott, 59, the only Black Republican senator, was appointed in 2012 by then-Gov. Nikki Haley (R) after Sen. Jim DeMint abruptly resigned to run the conservative Heritage Foundation.
“As we begin the 119th Congress, Senate Republicans have high enthusiasm and are focused on delivering for the American people! This Congress, I am thrilled to serve as the Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee,” Scott said in a statement. “My goal is simple: make America work for Americans.”
The title of longest-serving Black senator was previously held by Sen. Edward Brooke R-Mass., who served two full terms from 1967 to 1979.
So far, there have been 12 African-American elected or appointed senators, according to the Senate Historical Office.
Scott, who was a GOP presidential candidate in the 2024 election, endorsed President-elect Trump over Haley, who was also a presidential candidate, when he dropped out of the race after the third GOP primary debate.
On Friday, he said he was looking forward to working with Trump.
“We will unlock opportunity, strengthen our nation, and make America the shining city on the Hill again,” he said.
In 2025, the Senate will see its highest number of Black senators serving concurrently. Apart from Scott, the group includes Sens. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Scott, Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware.
Rochester and Alsobrooks will also become the first two Black women to serve in the Senate concurrently.
Born in North Charleston, South Carolina, Scott's parents divorced when he was seven and he, along with his mother and his older brother moved into his maternal grandparents' house.
After graduating from Charleston Southern University in 1988 with a degree in political science, Scott worked as an insurance agent and financial adviser.
He was first elected to Charleston County Council, to the South Carolina State House, and the U.S. House of Representatives.
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House Correspondent for Paste BN. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal