Tim Scott CPAC: Senator Praises Chick-Fil-A Operator At Annual Conservative Conference

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) praised a Chick-fil-A operator during his speech at the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference.

Scott was one of several major Republican names speaking on the first day of the annual conference, taking place at National Harbor near Washington, D.C.

The Washington Post reports:

Scott said a conservative Republican at Chick fil-A became his mentor and guided him toward conservatism.

“John started teaching me some of the most valuable lessons I’ve ever learned,” said Scott, a former congressman who was recently appointed to the Senate. “He taught me that having a job is a good thing, but creating jobs is a far better thing.”

Scott added: “Because of John, my mentor, I’m sure that was a part of my path to becoming a red-blooded conservative, because he taught me how to think my way out of poverty.”

In December 2012, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) announced that Scott would be the one to replace Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) in Congress.

After the announcement, the AP reported Scott would focus on his modest upbringing while serving in the Senate. During an interview with the AP, Scott said he hoped to create a plan for "people who come from neighborhoods like I came from and simply sell them on the fact that this country is a place where you can rise to any level."

Below, a liveblog of the latest updates from CPAC: