When President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, cameras in the House gallery won’t be able to zoom in on the reactions of one of just two Black Republicans in Congress. South Carolina Rep. Tim Scott will not be there.

Scott’s office told Patch.com he would be watching the speech with his brotherhoax Army officer who is stationed in Alexandria, Virgina.

According to the website:

Last week, Scott spoke to Tea Party leaders meeting in Myrtle Beach. He told the group that he wasn’t sure if he would attend the president’s address.

“I went to last year’s State of the Union, I’m not sure if I’m going to this year’s State of the Union,” Scott said. “People like 80 percent of what he says, but they hate 90 percent of what he does,” referring to President Obama.

The spokesman noted that Scott’s absence is not meant as a protest, like Colorado Rep. Doug Lamborn, who has said he plans to skip the speech because he disagrees with the president’s policies.

Scott did say he has been disappointed with the president’s previous bipartisan pronouncements, followed in his words, by, “twelve months later, have we seen any indication that he remembers the speech he gave?” 

Scott is expected to release a statement following the president’s speech.

He and Florida Rep. Allen West are the first black Congress members from the former Confederate states since 1901.