MAJOR BODYBLOW FOR “MAYORHOOD”
|| By TAYLOR BROWN || On Tuesday voters in Columbia, S.C. – all nine percent of them who bothered to show up – sent mayor Steve Benjamin a message.
“Cronies not wanted.”
In the at-large runoff race for city council, Howard Duvall soundly defeated the mayor’s anointed candidate – local theater director Andy Smith – by a two-to-one margin. This outcome tells us a couple of important things. First, this city-wide race can be used to gauge Benjamin’s popularity and power – which is clearly waning. Second, it highlights Benjamin’s inability to motivate the black voters – who gave him his margin of victory over former councilman (now S.C. Rep.) Kirkman Finlay in 2010.
While Greenview – a predominantly black precinct on the northern side of town – did vote decisively for Mr. Smith, the turnout was not high enough to offset his losses in other parts of the city. The turnout and numbers were similar in other precincts that supported Benjamin in 2010.
More disconcerting for “Mayorhood,” it seems much of the liberal white community has disengaged itself from his bandwagon. We will do a deeper dive into the data soon, but Duvall did very well against Smith in council districts three and four, which are predominately white and located on the east side of town – wards ten through fourteen, Pennington, Woodlands, etc.
Also, Benjamin’s hand-picked candidate Aaron Bishop lost his runoff election to political newcomer Reverend Ed McDowell in the city’s second district – another blow to the mayor, who used to own this seat.
What does all this mean for South Carolina’s capital? Only time will tell, but I’m hoping councilmen-elect Duvall and McDowell will stick to their promises and work with all council members to fully debate significant policy proposals and projects in full view of the public.
This council will likely have to raise water and sewer rates significantly, and tax and fee increases are very likely.
Stay tuned for more …
Taylor Brown is a 20-something Wofford College graduate who somehow got sucked into politics at an early age. She is easily won over with Rush’s fast food, wine, and spirited political arguments.
58 comments
“it seems much of the liberal white community has disengaged itself from his bandwagon.”
In this day and time, it is refreshing that the desire for good governance will negate the need to play of the “affirmative action/race card.” It appears that the white liberals within the city are becoming detached from the “Mayorhood.” Too bad the entire citizenry does not recognize this man’s in competence,
I think this is a good, let’s see the money?
I live in District 3 and those liberal whites are my neighbors. Most of my neighbors seem disappointed in Benjamin. I don’t think he’ll run again but if he does it won’t take much to challenge him.
That can be said statewide.
***It appears that the white liberals within the city are becoming detached from the “Mayorhood.”***
People of all political stripes do not respond well to finding out they’ve been getting screwed out of the money they’ve been paying for water and sewer FOR DECADES by liberal mayors (and city council members).
“This council will likely have to raise water and sewer rates significantly, and tax and fee increases are very likely.”
But the ball stadium “game must go on”!
Who cares if the pipes disintegrate and sewage seeps into the soil? That’s what we call fertilizer. If anything we are being nature friendly, helping the environment! Don’t mind the smell!
“Don’t mind the smell!”
We’ll call it “ambience” and market it accordingly.
“Famously hot & smelly!”
“swamp gas” — Flatulence methane produced within the digestive tract of animals?
Do yall still “LIKE” Benjamin, while saying you are politically against him? …And HATE all Republicans, while claiming you are political mirrors?
Ben is a republican, you know that.
Then how long will it be before FITS trashes him?
You been here how long?
Stop huffing the fumes from that bedpan. You can’t afford to lose any more brain cells.
I bet bob mcalister takes credit for that “conversion”. in his heart, bob calls himself “little jesus” you know, he can do “anything.”
Make that “jesus’ sole and only forever Chief of Staff.”
One small step for Columbia, and one less rib for T-Bone
Taylor Brown, King Maker.
Bone shaker !
The world is on fire ignited barbaric Islamic terrorists, and disgust is aimed at Obama. Hillary and the Democrat party…but FITS News is talking about small time local elections…
Cutting edge media for sure…LMAO…
Because T-Bone Benji an Obama supporter and surrogate took a huge political hit in what is likely the most liberal county and maybe city in South Carolina (Charleston vs Columbia it’s hard to say) isn’t important news.
But FITS LIKES Benji…remember he watched Mississippi Burning, and is convinced it’s 1950 in America, now…and Obama’s not a Bigot…
His reign of error is over.
Well we all know what I have to say and why. (Hint he is black.)
So what inbred moron is trying to pass himself off as me this time?
It’s the highjack anyone who has no avatar game.
We knew it wasn’t you as soon as he said “black” instead of “nigger”.
Would you prefer I use “spook”?
I have no preference. Just pointing out the obvious.
Once while glancing casually at some white-supremacy Net site I found a hilarious but serious list of names that these unter-honkys did not like to be called. There were a few dozen. Most were antiquated and related to white immigrants from southern and eastern Europe (e.g., “bohunk”).
The one I thought most amusing for anyone to take any offense at was “Blue-Eyed Devil.” Why I’d be proud to be called such!
Yes, nigger mayor!!! He needs to spray paint That on the side of City Hall.
“While Greenview – a predominantly black
precinct on the northern side of town – did vote decisively for Mr.
Smith, the turnout was not high enough to offset his losses in other
parts of the city.”
I guess someone forgot to gas up the church buses.
No, the cemetery gates were locked
Maybe white liberals are tired of paying Mayor Shitwater’s Whore Water Lawyer to sue them over piss poor water and sewer service when he’d rather spend the money on things like… Whores. How much have we paid her!? How much do we still owe her!? How much does Mayor Shitwater pay to retain her!? Little things like that… enough to piss off any white liberal.
Is that a Skunk Fur Sporran Mayor Shitwater is wearing with his suit? Why, no. That’s the back of his Whore Water Lawyer’s head. That is one cunning stunt.
U guy’s work with this fuck, expect different ?
Save that image just in case this “female dog” gets the least bit politically ambitious for herself. I want to be in the cheering section at any public event where we can shout, “Show us Mayor Shitwater’s tits!!”
I seriously wish I had some idea what the heck you are talking about.
OK sleepy, here it is in a nutshell. For years, Columbia Mayors have been skimmimg public water and sewer utility funds to pay for “other things” such as Whores, instead of maintaining the water and sewer system. When other members of City Council tried to compel him to stop, he hired a private lawyer to argue the issue before the SC Supreme Court. The Court rejected her rediculous arguments and remanded the case. Public funds have paid for all of this. And are still paying to retain her, I suspect. The Mayor essentially sued rate payers so he could spend utility money on anything he wanted to spend it on at the same time Columbia has been dumping untreated sewage into the rivers, virtually whenever it rains, and the water system is so old and broken that citizens expect boil water advisories somewhere in the system virtually every day. This is how Mayor Shitwater takes care of himself, ( and his Whore Water Lawyer, a white girl with brown teeth who starred in his One Columbia campaign commercial. I suspect your utility fees are the sole support of her entire private practice) at the expense of your drinking water. As it is, people who use the rivers for recreation are basicly swimming in Columbia’s raw sewage. Fine example of appropriate use of public funds, don’t you think?!?
OK. I’m actually familiar with all of that. I was just having a hard time deciphering your colorful way of expressing yourself.
I’m out of medication. Sorry.
They need to come up with the first $7,000,000 to pay for the initial emergency fixes associated with the canal dike failure, a failure caused by official incompetence and negligence. The neglected intake gates would not shut nearly all the way and the cluelessly modified emergency overflow gates were not, and perhaps could not be, opened nearly all the way. No wonder the canal overfilled and the overwhelmed dike failed.
All the while the water system profits were going elsewhere.
And of course far beyond the emergency fixes, the canal overall needs to be repaired now, a much bigger job. And finally we receive no money from the electric power station, being another considerable loss. What is the total cost of this official botching.
But no one is to blame, as this is South Carolina.
Will we a see a bit, any bit, more responsibility from these two new ones? Don’t hold your breath.
That baseball stadium isn’t going to pay for itself.
Bob Coble and E.W. Cromartie are the first two names that come to mind when looking for someone to blame when looking back on the dissipation of the water system profits.
Don’t forget Charlie (helpin’ myself with both hands) Austin, too.
And don’t forget good ‘ol USC…. not paying a dime for services, yet causing the city to have to spend money on roads and services to support a bloated student body…
Funny how they buy land for investment purposes, then pay no taxes on it because they’re exempt. AND they build things like an Alumni Center right in the heart of the Vista (and take a VERY valuable property off the tax rolls!), increasing demands for city services EVEN MORE.
Money had to come from somewhere, and the water system was the only real option. This doesn’t excuse stupidity like AirSouth (Coble) or the Stadium (Benjamin), but it DOES mean a whole lot of money the city loses every year that has to be made up somehow.
Just curious; where/how did the “T-Bone” moniker come from? “Shitwater” needs no explanation, but Seinfeld and that Doritos ad are the only things that come to mind for “T-Bone.”
And, like I said in the other thread:
In yo’ FACE, corrupt, liberal asshole Mayor Steve.
Sweet outcome. Even at this late hour, if I knew where a party was happening to celebrate this, I’d be on my way.
It will be a wonderful day in Columbia when you’re out of that mayor’s office and I don’t have to listen to your bibbitybobbity bibbitybobbity motormouth BS’ing lying, deflecting, red herring spewing, straw man mouth on local news.
Wait. Actually, I *don’t* listen to you. I hit the mute button. You’re a turd on my shoe.
Only the stupid people like you; and those who need you to work an inside deal and grease their palms. The smart, reasonable people who know how a city should be run despise you. How does that feel?
On the morning after his election victory, in the wee small hours of the night after consuming more than one alcoholic beverage, Steve T-boned a car belonging to a lovely institution employed at the Clarion Hotel. The dear lady later passed from complications. Steve was never processed for his part in the malady, and the rest is history (or a moniker for getting away with manslaughter, if not murder).
Thanks, Dice Man. I definitely remember that “happening” and smelled a rat for sure. Yeah, not impaired at all. Total BS. T-Bone is perfect.
Gee, aren’t you sort of harsh on the guy?
How did his wife ever let him off the hook for the hookers he was caught with on an non-mayoral “business trip” a couple years ago?
I imagine that Steve’s being punished for his indiscretion in private but DeAndrea Benjamin is way too much of a social climber to kick him to the curb.
T-Bone came election night after he drove home after his party (he said he was sober and the PD believed him so no need to do a sobriety test on the newly elected mayor) with his lights off and T-Boned a little old lady at an intersection while she was on her way to work at the Clarion Hotel.
Squishy, thank you also. “Our mayor” is dirty and has been all along. Doesn’t even live in the city, either. What a turd.
The Highway Patrol was at the scene, but REFUSED to take the wreck and dumped it on Columbia. Tandy Carter tried to have an honest investigation conducted, but the “media” decided to do a WHOLE lot of lying and made an issue out of it.
It would appear the artsy crowd are having a case of voters remorse. Benjahood is scrambling to try and get cash as the water and sewer fund is going to be hit with another 1,000 year flood. The new flood is going to be contractor bills and a looming EPA fine.
Mayor Shitwater is going to the pen SOON! Hope he gets buttfucked night and day!