Tim Scott shifts resources to Iowa amid campaign struggles

With ongoing struggles to leave a broader mark nationally, Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-S.C.) campaign is shifting resources to go “all-in” on Iowa by doubling his staff and opening a new headquarters.

The new headquarters will be in West Des Moines, Iowa, and after the next GOP debate, the South Carolina senator will be campaigning in Iowa every week until the Jan. 15 caucuses, according to the campaign.

The campaign is also shifting the ad buys, originally designated for New Hampshire, to the Hawkeye State. 

“Tim Scott is all in on Iowa,” his campaign manager, Jennifer DeCasper, said. “As the candidate with the highest net favorables, Tim Scott is best positioned to compete on caucus day. No candidate other than Tim Scott has the resources, the foundation of support, and the message to be successful in the Hawkeye State. We’re all in on Iowa as an important first step on the road to winning the nomination.”

The sudden shift in strategy comes after the lawmaker experienced some bumps on the trail. 

Despite kicking off his White House bid with a loaded war chest, third quarter Federal Election Commission filings showed that the campaign had a high burn-rate. The senator has not yet officially qualified for the third GOP presidential debate, according to Politico’s debate tracker. His aligned super PAC, Trust In the Mission PAC, is pulling the plug on the remainder of its $40 million on digital and TV reservations first bought in July. 

The campaign is following the lead of other contenders in the race who are hoping for a late-year boost on the trail. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley has also set her sights on Iowa along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is in the process of shifting a third of his campaign staff there. 

His campaign sees an “opportunity and wide-open evangelical lane to win the Iowa Republican caucus.” 

Scott is tied for fourth place among primary contenders with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy at 6 percent support, according to the RealClearPolitics average; his national average sits at 1.8 percent support. 

He is finishing a five-day Iowa trip Tuesday and will be back in the first-in-the-nation caucus state next week, according to the campaign.