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South Carolina Democrats – already super-minorities in both chambers of the S.C. General Assembly – are poised to lose additional seats in the 2024 election cycle. I’ve written on their impending losses in the S.C. Senate – and they are likely to surrender a handful of contested seats in the S.C. House, too.
The party’s saving grace? Ideologically speaking, nothing is likely to change. Or at least, nothing changed while the GOP went from minority to supermajority over the last three decades. For the past four years, South Carolina has been home to the most liberal “Republican” legislature in America – one that blew its wad during the primary season trying to eliminate its own right flank.
“GOP rule is not necessarily conservative rule,” I noted recently. “Far from it.”
Just look at how GOP leaders blow taxpayer money. Which, frankly, shouldn’t surprise us sadly, seeing as most of the ranking “Republicans” at the S.C. State House are all former Democrats.
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Still, Democrats are not providing even the illusion of an “alternative” this fall. They are not even pretending to fight.
Exhibit A? State party chairwoman Christale Spain, who is working full-time, out-of-state this election cycle as Kamala Harris‘ national black engagement director.
“Vice president Harris is the only candidate in this election who has delivered real progress for Black America — and she’s just getting started,” Spain told the publication.
Really? Last time we checked, inflation was walloping black America every bit as hard as – if not harder than – it was hitting the rest of the country. Also, last time we checked the latest black unemployment data was actually higher than it was under former president Donald Trump (prior to Covid-19, anyway). Oh, and median real weekly earnings for black workers are actually down under Biden, per data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
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So… are black Americans really better off today than they were when Harris was sworn in? When she started casting tie-breaking votes in the U.S. Senate?
Doubtful…
Nonetheless, Harris has a huge edge amongst the black electorate.
Just this week, Pew released a survey which showed 84 percent of black voters supported Harris compared to just 13 percent who said they were voting for Trump. That’s an atrocious spread for the GOP nominee… but context matters. As dismal as those numbers are, they represent a significant improvement over the 2020 cycle – when Joe Biden got 92 percent of the black vote compared to Trump’s eight percent.
That differential is frightening for Democrats – especially after they soft-couped their old white nominee for a candidate who identifies as black.
Accordingly, it’s all hands on deck to identify and turn out black voters this fall. According to an exclusive in Ebony late last month, Spain will be spending the next few weeks organizing a Harris tour of historically black colleges and universities across the country over the next few weeks.
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The tour is part of her national post with Harris’ campaign, which she has held since August.
So… who is running the state party and focusing on state races while Spain focuses on Harris’ election?
But seriously, I asked a party insider that question and they didn’t have an answer.
“That’s a great question,” the insider told me. “South Carolina Democrats are done if even the chair (has) moved on.”
Democrats were always going to lose ground in the Palmetto State this election cycle, but the level of disengagement by state party leaders is truly staggering to behold.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the owner and founding editor of FITSNews. Prior to founding his own news outlet, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina, bass guitarist in an alternative rock band and bouncer at a Columbia, S.C. dive bar. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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17 comments
Parties are bad for governance. Maybe the uniparty that is the most liberal “republican” legislature in the country is just better reflecting the people of South Carolina. I don’t think a supermajority of the population consists of far right toe-ers of the republican party line. It’s hard to know for sure since we all insulate ourselves in a bubble of people like us, but I would say the average South Carolinian is a little righter than center-right.
Democrats support killing babies, violating your 1st and 2nd amendment rights, illegal immigration, keeping criminals free and destroying the American dream. No surprise democrats are going to lose more seats in SC.
How does SC positive metrics measure up to Blue States?
Republicans are literally led by a convicted felon, fraud and rapist.
I can see why Democrats have moved on from a third world state to greener pastures .
I can remember there once was a time when a lying, cheating, adulterous, female-insulting, draft-dodging New York braggart and blowhard would have been anathema to South Carolinians of both parties. You have to wonder what happened.
River – maybe you could get one of the Kool-Aid columns here at FitsOpinions. You could say what you said in your comment without citing a single fact and ignoring the reality of each issue.
Oh wait! You would have to step out from behind your anonymous identity. I guess I understand why you wouldn’t want to put your name on the drivel you write.
Josh, you’re still holding the title as the dumbest smart person in the comments. So much potential but so brainwashed.
How is that? I just want to hear some facts, but you do not have any right? It is easy to hide behind your little fake identity and call me dumb, because you are literally just an Internet avatar. Instead of coming in here and attacking me, take me up on my challenge. Get some facts and write a position with your name on it.
It doesn’t bother me to take abuse on this site and put my real name on any comment I make. I find it amusing how tough people are when they are hiding behind anonymity. Keyboard bullies…
Not a single one of you would dare talk the way you talk if you had to attach your actual name to what you say.
Again Josh, you have so much potential. Why waste it on evil? Fight for good, not evil.
“Just look at how GOP leaders blow taxpayer money.”
Like handing out PPP loans to bloggers who carry their water?
I guess the Russian checks weren’t enough, huh?
I can remember there once was a time when a lying, cheating, adulterous, female-insulting, draft-dodging New York braggart and blowhard would have been anathema to South Carolinians of both parties. You have to wonder what happened.
It seems like in this blahg post by Democrats Will means “the blacks.”
Liberal Republican legislature? What are you talking about?
Your people have banned abortion, lined up multiple executions like a third world country, given anybody with a beating heart the right to carry a gun, banned book fairs because you know better than me what my kids should read, it goes on and on.
Sorry the nut jobs aren’t getting more influence, but rational people have to draw the line somewhere.
The best Republicans have to offer:
“Yes, they can control the weather. It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done.”
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), accusing Democrats of creating Hurricane Helene for political purposes.
Bartender, I’d like to get some of that new and improved Sour Grapes wine from Braying Ass vineyards, with a spritzer of liberal tears to give it some zest.
1) The killing of the unborn is murder.
2) The execution of evil people who are convicted in a court of law for heinous crimes is just.
3) Constitutional Carry – #2ndAmendment
4) “books fairs” – You may approve of your children reading about all kinds of sexual immorality (which is wrong by the way) but thankfully most parents do not approve of it.
South Carolina doesn’t need a Democratic Party because all the Democrats are now in the Republican Party. I would say that even the State GOP chairman Dew Mc Kisick is a Democrat. Actions speak louder than words! WAKE UP SC VOTERS !