GOP presidential candidate Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) addressed rumors surrounding his love life at an Iowa campaign stop over the weekend.
Scott spoke at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition Town Hall Saturday, where he described his girlfriend while invoking his religion and faith in remarks to the crowd.
The subject came up when Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird asked the presidential hopeful whether there was a “special lady” besides his mother in his life.
“Yes,” he said, noting that his relationship status has been the center of attention recently.
He described his girlfriend as “a lovely Christian girl,” before reciting a verse from the Bible and asking the crowd to “pray together” for him.
“I’m very excited. Very excited,” he added.
Questions over whether Scott, who is the only unmarried GOP presidential candidate, has a girlfriend have been rising over the last week after a Washington Post article drew attention to an interview the senator gave to Axios in May.
The Axios interviewer asked Scott his thoughts on potentially becoming the first unmarried president since the 19th century.
“I probably have more time, more energy and more latitude to do the job,” he said, adding that his “girlfriend wants to see me when I come home.”
The Washington Post’s Ben Terris interviewed Scott about his girlfriend, whom he says participates in Bible study and pickleball matches with him. Scott declined to reveal her name, and Terris noted that he could not verify that “she exists.”
At the Iowa campaign stop, Scott, 57, also reflected on his upbringing when discussing his girlfriend.
“As a guy who was raised in a single-parent household mired in poverty, I understand the devastation when a family breaks up. I had to live with the consequences of a father who was not there. I made a commitment to make sure that never happened in my life,” he said.
“I’m so thankful to know a risen savior that has helped guide my way, and I’m so thankful that he’s allowed my life to intersect at the right time with the right person. And I just say, praise the living God,” he continued.