U.S. Sen. Tim Scott praised Ivanka Trump on Friday for her efforts to double the child tax credit in a recently approved tax overhaul.
“Ivanka has a strong, powerful backbone,” said Scott, a Republican from North Charleston.
President Donald Trump's daughter joined Scott for an event at the Westin Poinsett Hotel in downtown Greenville. More than 100 women as well as U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy, both of South Carolina, attended the event.
Ivanka Trump said the recently approved tax bill has a two-fold purpose: To enable U.S. corporations to be competitive in the global landscape and to help middle-class families. She said middle-class families will benefit from the elimination of trillions of dollars in loopholes for special interests. She also said the tax bill includes provisions that will enhance school choice.
Women started arriving in the ballroom where the event was held about an hour before it began.
Greer resident Susan Kines, who owns an advertising agency, said she was invited by Scott's staff.
"I am very interested and concerned about the financial health of our country,” she said, adding that she hoped Trump or Scott would discuss the federal government's mounting debt.
“That was one of the things that candidate Trump talked about, and I’ve not heard many people talk about it," said Kines, who said she voted for President Trump because "he understands how money works."
Federal debt was not discussed at Friday's event.
About a dozen members of the Upstate Republican Women organization came to the event, including the group's president, Cheryl Teague Cuthrell.
“We are very excited about the tax breaks. We are very excited about a lot of $1,000 bonuses going to people who need it,” said Cuthrell, who also is chairman of the Anderson County Republican Party. “It is already working.”
She said she supported the increase in the child-tax credit that Scott and Ivanka Trump worked to pass.
“They are going to be helping lower-income parents get child care. I would prefer to be paying for childcare than paying for welfare," Cuthrell said. "Right now it does not pay for some women to work because childcare expenses are so high.”
Another member of Upstate Republican Women, Mary Vause of Greenville, said she came to the event to show support for President Trump and his family.
“I think they are a very special family," she said. "I really admire everything that Trump is doing for our country.”
Vause said it must be difficult for Ivanka Trump to hear some of the "ugly" things that are said about her father.
“I think that is uncalled for and it shouldn’t be part of our culture," she said.
Spartanburg resident Molly Vinesett, who is a senior at the University of Georgia, was invited to attend the event because she worked as an intern for Scott last summer.
“I am just here to listen," she said.
Ivanka Trump, a senior White House adviser and the president's elder daughter, arrived on a commercial flight about 10 a.m. Friday at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.
"She was always smiling and very pleasant," Angela Martinez told The Greenville News after sitting behind Ivanka Trump on the flight.
Trump stopped at Coffee Underground, a popular downtown coffee shop, before her speaking engagement with Scott.
People swarmed her to take pictures outside of Frank's Gentleman's Salon above the coffee shop. Wearing a tan blazer, black pants and black shirt, she posed for pictures before leaving in a limo.
A couple of people waited for her outside of The Westin Poinsett around lunchtime. They were disappointed to learn she entered the hotel through a back entrance. There was a notable police presence in the area, including Police Chief Ken Miller.
Police and Secret Service were stationed at nearly every corner of the lobby and mezzanine levels of the hotel.
An organization protested Trump's visit on the plaza outside of the hotel. The group planned to speak out against the Trump administration and its tax plan. Scott and Ivanka Trump were key players in crafting the tax bill.
Scott and Trump took pre-submitted questions from the crowd, which consisted of mostly women by design for Scott's Women in Leadership series.
"It is the greatest honor of my life to be able to serve this country which has given me so much and my family so much," Trump said. "It is truly a privilege."
At one point during the protest outside, a female Trump supporter and a man exchanged words.
"I support Trump," Sherry Riddle said. "We work downtown. We came in to see her. The same protesters are here every Tuesday."
