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DL Hughley leads skewering of Tim Scott after he dropped out of 2024 prez race

DL Hughley poked fun at Tim Scott and his girlfriend, Mindy Noce, owing to the Senator's abrupt decision to pull out from the 2024 election race

WASHINGTON, DC: South Carolina Senator Tim Scott announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race during a Sunday evening, November 12 interview, catching both the public and his campaign staff off guard. 

Interestingly, comedian and actor Darryl Lynn Hughley aka DL Hughley, was one of the first to take a jab at Scott, who debuted his girlfriend, Mindy Noce, at the third GOP debate. 

In his post, Hughley wrote, "Damn! #TimScott suspends his campaign? That means he went out and got a girlfriend for nothing!"

Tim Scott abruptly pulls out of the 2024 Republican primary race

During his appearance on 'Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy', Tim Scott said, "I love America more today than I did on May 22," referring to the start of his campaign and added, "But when I go back to Iowa, it will not be as a presidential candidate," as per Daily Mail. 

The Senator further mentioned, "I am suspending my campaign. I think the voters who are the most remarkable people on the planet have been really clear that they´re telling me, 'Not now, Tim'. And so I'm going to respect the voters, and I'm going to hold on and keep working really hard and look forward to another opportunity." 

The abrupt decision reportedly left campaign staffers in the dark, with one source revealing they learned of Scott's withdrawal by watching the interview. 

Scott also clarified that he would not be endorsing any of his Republican rivals, stating, "The voters are really smart. The best way for me to be helpful is to not weigh in on who they should endorse."

"Being vice president has never been on my to-do list for this campaign, and it´s certainly not there now," revealed the Senator. 

DL Hughley's post on Tim Scott receives a flurry of reaction

Despite enjoying a brief surge in polls over the summer, Tim Scott struggled to solidify his standing in the crowded field.

Soon after DL Hughley took to X (formerly Twitter) to post his humorous take on the Senator pulling out of the 2024 presidential race, netizens followed suit in poking fun at him.

"Well DL looks like @votetimscott and Mindi won’t be the next occupants in the @WhiteHouse," quipped one, as another noted, "Must’ve been the offer to take her to Cheesecake Factory," hinting at Mindi Noce. 

"He wasn't going to win anyway. If Trump gets elected, he'll get a cabinet position," added a person. 

Someone else joked, "They reached out to her for a comment on Tim suspending his campaign and she said, 'Tim who???'," with one more saying, "His 2 supporters are disappointed." 

Scott's departure leaves Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, and Chris Christie to contend against the leading candidate, former President Donald Trump.

Lone Black Republican Senator Tim Scott failed to establish his niche in the 2024 presidential election race 

As the lone Black Republican in the US Senate, Tim Scott positioned himself as a conservative candidate capable of healing political divisions, drawing on his unique perspective as an African American in the GOP.

However, he struggled to connect with Donald Trump supporters and failed to carve out a distinct niche. His campaign heavily leaned on Christian faith and biblical references, as per Daily Mail.

Surveys revealed that Scott's campaign enjoyed a modest but measurable bump in opinion polls in some states over the summer. However, voter excitement proved short-lived as he failed to establish and defend a clear lane for himself in the relatively crowded field.

Like other candidates, he grappled with articulating to Trump supporters why they should move on from the former president, who remains well-liked by most primary voters.

One of the defining moments of Scott's campaign was the unmasking of his love life, ending months of speculation about his romantic affiliations. At the third GOP primary debate, he introduced Mindy Noce, 47, as his girlfriend, and the two posed for photos behind his debate lectern.

However, despite this personal revelation, Scott's political momentum failed to gain the traction needed to secure a leading position in the race.

The post-debate poll conducted by JL Partners ranked him fourth out of five candidates, with a score of 5.5 out of 10 for his performance. Chris Christie trailed behind with a score of 4.8, leaving Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy ahead in the rankings.