Scott: Endorsement Will Hinge on Economy

In thanking his host at a Charleston town hall Saturday, former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney looked to Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and said, "You've had a few of these, right?"

"Seven," Scott noted. "You're seven."

All of these forums have been leading up to something — Scott's endorsement. 

Romney has secured Gov. Nikki Haley's support and Sen. Jim DeMint says he won't be backing any candidate in the primary. That makes Scott's endorsement  now most-coveted in the state in the early Jan. 21 voting.

Over the summer, Scott had hoped to have these forums done and a choice made by October. Scheduling challenges pushed it to late November. Now, it appears that he'll announces his endorsement in early January or possibly run out of time all together. Last month, he launched an online poll in an effort to find out where his constituents wanted his support to land.

Scott tried desperately to keep his cards close, not wanting to show his hand. But asked whether he had reservations about Romney's moderate stance on some issues, the socially conservative Scott said the right candidate won't have to be the perfect candidate. He said there are things he'll overlook to find a candidate who can lead on the economy. 

"The absolute priority in moving this country forward is an economic renaissance we have not seen in the last three-and-a-half years and we've taken 14 million Americans and set them on the sidelines with no hope of getting back to work," Scott said. "We need a president who can do that."

These town halls have given almost all of the candidates a chance to share the stage with the popular freshman Congress, and led to anxious speculation as Scott speaks glowlingly of each candidate.

In his opening remarks at the town hall with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich last month, Scott anxiously anticipated a debate between "the professor and the teleprompter."

On Saturday, Scott noted the value of having a state's chief excecutive "perhaps" in the White House. Was it an endorsement of Romney? Not quite, or at least not yet. 

"We're always talking about how the Republican nominee will work against the president," Scott said of his flavorful introductions.

The congressman noted afterward that he's coordinating with Rep. Ron Paul's staff for an eighth forum in early January. That will be followed by a town hall visit from Va. Gov. Bob McDonnell, who is not on the campaign trail in the 2012 race, but may get in the running for 2016.