Tim Scott, a Republican U.S. senator from South Carolina who was a presidential candidate last year, will be the keynote speaker at the Mahoning County Republican Party’s fall banquet Oct. 30.
The event starts at 6 p.m. with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. at The Embassy, 5030 Youngstown-Poland Road, Boardman. It also will include a speech from Bernie Moreno, the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Sherrod Brown.
Tom McCabe, party chairman, said he expects about 500 to attend the event and said the party already sold 120 tickets — 12 tables of 10 people each.
McCabe said he was in talks with Moreno’s campaign to get Scott to speak at the fundraiser, and it finally came together.
“He’s a real good draw for us,” McCabe said of Scott. “He gave a great speech at the (Republican National) Convention, and he’s a great surrogate. We wanted a big name, and he was at the top of our list.”
A number of speakers at Mahoning Republican dinners in recent years had to be paid — around $18,000 to $20,000 each — which cut into the party’s profits for the events. But as a U.S. senator, Scott isn’t charging for his speech.
“We don’t have to pay him, which is a huge bonus for us,” McCabe said. “It’s a nice fundraising dinner for us.”
Scott, who was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2013, was elected to full six-year terms in 2016 and 2022. Scott has said in the past the 2022 Senate reelection would be his last and there’s been talk that he might run for South Carolina governor in 2026.
Scott entered the Republican presidential election in May 2023, but dropped out in November 2023 before any state primary or caucus because of low polling numbers. He appeared in the party’s first three presidential debates, but failed to make an impact and was in danger of not qualifying for the fourth debate, which required higher polling numbers and more donors.
Scott didn’t endorse Donald Trump for president until Jan. 19, more than two months after he withdrew as president. The endorsement came after Trump won the Iowa caucus and just ahead of the New Hampshire primary.
Scott endorsed Trump over Nikki Haley, who appointed Scott as a senator in 2013 when she was South Carolina governor.
“He’s a national figure and a big Trump supporter,” McCabe said of Scott. “He was a lot of people’s second choice. A lot of people like Tim Scott.”
Scott was among the second tier of potential vice presidential running mates considered by Trump, who chose U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, for the position.
Tickets for the banquet are $100 with a VIP reception beforehand costing $150. To get tickets, call the party headquarters at 330-629-7006 or go online to mahoninggop.com.
Proceeds from the event will go toward helping local Republicans in the Nov. 5 election, McCabe said.
