COLUMBIA, S.C. — Sen. Tim Scott’s presidential campaign is tapping two longtime South Carolina political consultants to run his 2024 operations in the Palmetto State.

Political consultants Luke Byars and his wife, Drea, and Phillip Habib will run the senator’s South Carolina campaign leadership team.

“Winning campaigns today need a powerful message, a strong messenger and plenty of momentum,” the three said in a joint statement. “Thankfully, Tim Scott has all three. This is personal for us. We believe in Tim, and no one will work harder than us to make sure he’s our next president.”

Luke Byars, a senior partner at strategy firm First Tuesday Strategies who served as a former South Carolina Republican Party executive director, will be the Scott campaign’s senior adviser and general consultant.

His resume includes work for Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign, the Bob Dole-Jack Kemp campaign in 1996 and for former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, who Scott succeeded in the U.S. Senate.

Drea Byars will be senior national finance adviser, a role broader than South Carolina. She previously served as finance director for Scott’s Senate campaign, and other campaigns, including education Superintendent Ellen Weaver’s, the S.C. Senate Republican Caucus and Congressmen William Timmons and Russell Fry.

Meanwhile, Habib — First Tuesday’s vice president of campaigns, who most recently was campaign manager for Weaver, Fry and he ran state Sen. Mike Reichenbach’s campaign — will be Scott’s state director.

“Luke and Drea are not only two of the best conservative tacticians the Palmetto State has to offer, they’re also two great friends to both me and Sen. Scott,” said Jennifer DeCasper, Scott’s campaign manager. “Phillip is a smart, young operative and someone who won’t be outworked. Their collective leadership will help us earn South Carolina.”

Also joining the presidential campaign is Sarah Jane Walker, who most recently worked for the state party. Walker will work as the South Carolina operations director for Scott’s White House bid.

Luke Byars and Habib aren’t the only First Tuesday Strategies consultants supporting Scott’s presidential campaign.

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