Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) plans to endorse former President Donald Trump on Friday evening at a rally in New Hampshire, according to a report from the New York Times.

Scott’s decision is seen as a kind of betrayal to former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley who appointed Scott to the U.S. Senate back in 2012 following the retirement of Republican Sen. Jim DeMint. Scott dropped out of the Republican primary back in November after having sparred with Haley during debates, but had yet to endorse in the race ahead of the Iowa Caucus.

In recent weeks, polling has indicated a surge for Haley in the New Hampshire primary despite Trump leading by a double-digit margin in the RealClearPolitics average of polls.

According to the Times, Scott’s endorsement of Trump will likely spark conversations about him serving as Trump’s running mate as he remains the highest-ranking elected Black Republican in the country.

The former president has reportedly been pursuing Scott’s endorsement since he dropped out of the race last year. On the campaign trail, Trump and Scott avoided criticizing each other, following their close working relationship during the Trump presidency.

Per the Times:

Mr. Scott arrived at his decision only recently. After ending his own campaign for president on Nov. 12, he had said he would not endorse “anytime soon.” But he came to the conclusion that Mr. Trump was the best candidate to defeat President Biden, according to one person familiar with his thinking.

Mr. Trump has pursued Mr. Scott’s endorsement since the senator exited the race last year. His endorsement not only lifts Mr. Trump in New Hampshire, which hosts its primary on Tuesday, but also in South Carolina, the home state of one of Mr. Trump’s top remaining Republican rivals, Nikki Haley. The Trump team is hoping to force from the race both Ms. Haley and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida with a decisive win in South Carolina’s primary on Feb. 24, avoiding an expensive fight for delegates that would otherwise extend through March after Super Tuesday.

Scott reportedly received calls from not only Trump but also Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) asking for his endorsement. Haley along with some mutual friends reportedly called Scott earlier this week pushing for his endorsement, while fellow Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) joined the campaign for Scott to endorse Trump.

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