Lindsey Graham is not the only Senator defending his seat in South Carolina. Tim Scott was seated to replace Jim DeMint by Governor Nikki Haley and he will have to earn it with votes this November in a special election. This is a very notable ballot in that regardless of the primaries and the outcome, an African American will represent South Carolina in U.S. Senate by popular vote of the people. This could be pivotal in the relationship between the two parties and all constituencies in this deepest of deep south state. A win with real votes could turn Scott into an influential voice in the minority community. That voice should instead belong to a progressive Democrat and fortunately we have an extremely qualified African-American running. Due to strange dynamics this RED state could also be a ripe pickup opportunity for Democrats that is currently completely under the radar.
Probably didn't even realize this scenario existed in the Palmetto Statewith all the Lindsey Graham talk:
A record seven African-American candidates are running for statewide office in 2014. Some could be eliminated in June’s primary elections, but it appears at least three black candidates will make it to November’s general election. (That would be one more than in 2002, when two black candidates – both Democrats – ran statewide and lost). South Carolina also is assured to elect its first African-American candidate in a statewide race since Reconstruction in one U.S. Senate race, where all three of the announced candidates are black.
Rick Wade is a longtime Dem operative who bas been a right arm to the Obama campaign in South Carolina in two elections. He has run state-wide before, unsuccessfully for Sect. of State. He knows the minority electorate far better than Scott and most importantly: if he wins the primary, his Party and its members will embrace him. That is the dynamic that could result in a shocking upset this November.
Let's look at the state of the Republican party in S.Carolina. Tea Partiers universally loath Lindsey. Hating on Graham is practically a cottage industry in the RW Wack-a-doodle-sphere. He is, like Mitch McConnell, almost a lock to win the primary. With practically a pass to reelection he will no doubt inspire a lot of good ole boys to head straight to happy hour on election day. One TPer who isn't lining up behind Graham is... Tim Scott:
On Wednesday, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott was asked on CNN's Crossfire if he would endorse his colleague Lindsey Graham, who faces a primary challenge next year. Scott declined several opportunities to voice support for his state's senior Senator, saying he was focused on his own reelection. Endorsing one's colleague is almost rote in politics. Scott's demurral is a sign of the difficulty Graham faces next year.
* Thanks Breitbart but I can't link to you :(
In state politics you line up with the MAN or you stand outside. Scott has chosen to stand outside with the GOTP amongst it's misspelled signs. Yes, there are a lot of them but there are just as many party insiders who would think that was 3rd party talk. I think we can also mention that there are a lot of SC Reds who wouldn't vote for a black man if their lives depended on it. Just saying'.
Will there be white Dems who will feel the same way about voting for an AA candidate? Sure, but the past decade has done a pretty good job of sorting the camps on that issue. Meanwhile who would you expect to get the vast majority of minority votes... you know, the ones who WILL turn out in large numbers for a minority candidate. I see in my crystal ball a lot of habitual Red voters showing up, voting for Lindsey and the local judge and leaving the second Senate race vote blank. I also see a lot of independent minds voting Graham as a "moderate" and then voting Dem to balance the ticket. I do not however, see many Dems turning up to vote for the Dem candidate then throwing in with the Republican Scott. Red turnout will be depressed while the Blues will be inspired. Think about it.
Rick Wade is an outstanding man with a lifetime of service who believes the Government can make a difference for good. Tim Scott is a lifetime coolaid drinker and professional Tea Partier who has railed on all public assistance including the gutting of public schools, perhaps the most important issue for the progress of the 99%. Wade is also well connected. He can get POTUS to Columbia in October, he can get Bill Clinton into churches in September. What he really needs is money. BIG MONEY.
Go to Wades Facebook and learn about him. This may be the first time you have heard his name but I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't the WOW candidate this november. We need pickup opps and this is just as makable a putt as Kentucky or Georgia, maybe more so.
4:25 PM PT: Just to clarify the Special Sauce that makes this a VERY gettable seat (Me from the comments)
I agree that a Heath Schuler would... be the classical weapon of choice and the state party may have tried to recruit a pure Blue Dog but here's why this may be victory with honor: while a white "Dim-O-Crat" might pull in some bigoted Reds and most Dems, a black candidate will still get the party faithful PLUS a lot of minority and liberal voters who normally would be sitting out a midterm. The bigoted Reds still won't vote for Scott. Turnout is the key. That's my calculus and I'm standing by it.
by Reinvented Daddy