Sen. Tim Scott says “Let's give Mr. Trump a chance”

Sen. Tim Scott, R- South Carolina, is calling on communities of color to give President- elect Donald Trump a chance when he takes office in January 2017. In an interview for “Face the Nation” moderator John Dickerson sat down with the South Carolinian senator in his office to discuss race relations after the election of Donald Trump and the announcement of a mistrial in the shooting death of Walter Scott by a police officer in South Carolina. During the interview Dickerson asked Sen. Scott how he believes Trump can bridge the gap with communities of color who believe the president- elect played on fears in the African- American community to get elected.

“Anyone who watched this election and did not see that fear was a part of both sides of the aisle, missed the election.” Scott said. “I think we would have this same conversation had Hillary won. Just perhaps a different perspective” Scott, however, assured he would hold the incoming president accountable by “what he does” during his administration.

Scott, currently the only African- American Republican in the Senate, called on Trump to spend time in communities of color and listen to their needs.

“If Donald Trump will take the time and spend some time in Cleveland and Detroit and in Charleston and other places, I think he’ll find that people are receptive to the person who invests their time, energy and then their talents into solving problems.”

After a mistrial was announced last week in the shooting death of a black man, Walter Scott, by a white police officer in Sen. Scott’s home state of South Carolina, Scott remains optimistic about the judicial process.

“These certainly are sensitive times, there are levels of frustration without any question. There is a lot of hope though.” Scott said and added, “And we say we are Charleston strong. So the goal is to remain confident in the judicial process, I am confident that justice will be done.”