Tim Scott Cruising Along in Re-election Bid

Tim Scott has had virtually no opposition as he marches toward winning the remaining two years in the term of former Sen. Jim DeMint. And, given his name recognition and incumbent status, the South Carolina Republican has been able to rely less on campaigning and more on the visibility that accompanies his official duties.

Scott is seeking to add two years to his tenure — what's left of the term of DeMint, who left the Senate in January 2013 to take the helm of the Heritage Foundation. Scott had just won a second U.S House term when Gov. Nikki Haley appointed him to DeMint's seat.

The election marks South Carolina's first-ever U.S. Senate contest between two black major-party candidates. Scott's Democratic opponent, Richland County Councilwoman Joyce Dickerson, has done some campaigning but remains mostly unknown outside of the Columbia area, hamstrung by negligible finances. The most recent fundraising totals showed her with less than $3,000 on hand. Scott had more than $3.6 million.

Scott's strong position allows him to do his senatorial job and save his multimillion-dollar campaign war chest for a likely full-term run in another two years.

"He's not spending money he doesn't need to spend," said Gibbs Knotts, a political science professor at the College of Charleston. "Dickerson just doesn't have the statewide name recognition and doesn't have the financing."

In the U.S. House and the South Carolina House before that, Scott represented coastal constituents and had limited statewide exposure. Earlier this year, Scott's campaign pressed to get him exposure throughout the state, visiting all 46 counties.

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