BOOKERISTA PROFILE: Tim Scott

Last week, Tim Scott, a businessman who chairs the Charleston County Council, won his party's nomination for a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives. On June 10, he beat two opponents to represent District 117, a 78% white district which includes the counties of Charleston and Berkeley. Because he faces no Democratic opposition in the general election in November, Mr. Scott will become the first black Republican to serve in South Carolina's Legislature since Reconstruction ended in 1877. The State newspaper (South Carolina) states that when Mr. Scott takes office in January, South Carolina will be "on par with Georgia" as the only Deep South state where black Republicans are among the state legislators.

A small government conservative, a top priority for the 42-year-old conservative Republican are new initiatives to grow small businesses. “Small business is the backbone of the country. It’s the greatest hope, other than Jesus Christ, for the African-American in South Carolina,” Mr. Scott, who is an evangelical Christian, told The State. In February, he told the Charleston Post & Courier that, if elected, he will bring his "taxpayers first" approach that he has used during his 13 years on council and will try to return more of the state government's $1.5 billion to families and businesses.

Mr. Scott is an owner of three small businesses: a financial-consulting company, a realty company and an insurance business. He has a B.A. in political science from Charleston Southern University. Mr. Scott is single.