His entry had been assumed since he began his “Faith in America” tour a few months back, but South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott made it official yesterday as he formally announced his entry into a crowded GOP presidential primary field that also includes the former Palmetto State governor who appointed him to the Senate, Nikki Haley.

Scott, whose lifetime 90% ACU rating makes him one of the nation’s most reliably conservative senators, aims to use his compelling backstory and his poor, black, Southern family upbringing to separate himself from others in the field.

Scott has a wealth of political experience, having served on his local county council for over a decade before moving to state office and quickly running up the ladder to the post he holds now. Scott was appointed to the Senate in 2013 to finish the term of Jim DeMint, who resigned to become president of The Heritage Foundation.

The junior senator from South Carolina has already secured the endorsement of two of his fellow senators, Mike Rounds of South Dakota and John Thune of North Dakota. Thune, the Senate’s second-in-command, calls Scott “an inspirational candidate.”

“I don’t know about you,” Thune added, “but I think our country is ready to be inspired again.”

Even Donald Trump was pleased to see Scott get into the race and wished him luck, saying, “I got Opportunity Zones done with Tim, a big deal that has been highly successful.” We shouldn’t expect this Era of Good Feelings to continue if Scott becomes a threat to Trump’s polling lead, but it’s a nice start. Furthermore, if Trump is looking for a running mate to balance his ticket, Scott would be an electrifying choice, a choice that would drive the race-obsessed Left nuts.

And if Scott can sell his “happy warrior” approach — which he believes he can, telling Fox News, “What I’ve seen in Iowa and New Hampshire is that voters are thrilled to have a conversation about optimism” — there’s no telling how far he may work his way up the polls. One point in his favor: He’ll have a significant war chest for a starting candidate, as he retains $22 million collected last year during his easy electoral win in ruby-red South Carolina. Not only did it allow Scott to purchase $6 million worth of ad time in Iowa and New Hampshire, but it also means Scott runs from an enviable place politically, as his Senate term isn’t up until 2028.

Meanwhile, Scott has reestablished his conservative bona fides, stating recently: “In Biden’s socialist utopia, if you’re able-bodied, you don’t have to work. If you commit a crime, you don’t do any time. If you take out a loan, guess what? You don’t have to pay it back. If you have bad credit, you get rewarded with lower interest rates. This utopia never has existed, but this is the path to socialism.” It’s a similar message to the one expressed in his introductory 30-second spot.

Having said all this, though, there are some headwinds for Scott, not the least of which are Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. South Carolina is an important early state in the presidential sweepstakes, but with two “favorite son” hopefuls in the race, there’s a strong possibility that Scott and Haley cancel each other out, allowing either Trump or DeSantis to pull the largest number of delegates and establish momentum.

On the other hand, Scott’s candidacy just seems different and more interesting than Haley’s. Given his national platform as a conservative black senator, Scott may be in a better position than those not named DeSantis in building name recognition. And with both the mainstream media and Trump focusing their guns on the successful Florida governor, DeSantis’s negatives are likely to rise. Because of that fighting, Scott’s more upbeat, under-the-radar campaign could gain traction.

In any case, the Republican field has added a quality candidate. And, as Donald Trump says, “The more, the merrier.”