Timothy Eugene Scott (born September 19, 1965) is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator from South Carolina since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Scott was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Governor Nikki Haley in 2013. He retained his seat after winning a special election in 2014, and was elected to full terms in 2016 and 2022. Before his election to the Senate, Scott was elected to the United States House of Representatives for , serving from 2011 to 2013. Before that, he served one term (from 2009 to 2011) in the South Carolina General Assembly and served on the Charleston County council from 1995 to 2009. Before entering politics, Scott worked in financial services. Scott is one of 11 African-Americans to have served in the U.S. Senate, and the first to have served in both chambers of Congress. He is the seventh African-American elected to the Senate and the fourth from the Republican Party. He is the first African-American senator from South Carolina, the first African-American senator to be elected from the Southern United States since 1881 (four years after the end of Reconstruction), and the first African-American Republican to serve in the Senate since Edward Brooke departed in 1979. Early life Scott was born in North Charleston, South Carolina, as the son of Frances (a nursing assistant) and Ben Scott Sr. His parents divorced when he was seven years old, and he grew up in working-class poverty with his mother, who worked 16-hour days to support their family. His older brother is a sergeant major in the U.S. Army. Scott graduated from R.B. Stall High School. He attended Presbyterian College from 1983 to 1984, on a partial football scholarship; he graduated from Charleston Southern University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science. Scott is an alumnus of South Carolina's Palmetto Boys State program, an experience he cites as influential in his decision to enter public service. After graduating from college, Scott worked as an insurance agent and financial adviser. He owns an insurance agency, Tim Scott Allstate. Political career Charleston County Council (1995–2009) Elections Scott ran in a February 1995 special election for the Charleston County Council at-large seat vacated by Keith Summey, who resigned after he was elected mayor of North Charleston. Scott won the seat as a Republican, receiving nearly 80% of the vote