Who will lead the Democrats in South Carolina when the nation’s first presidential primary is held in 2024?
Two black candidates, Colombian former SCDP Executive Director Cristal Spain (who, if she wins, will become the first black woman to lead a provincial party) and Brandon Upson, SCDP Black Caucus Chairman of York County, are running. announced.
Meanwhile, Third Vice Speaker Jalen Elrod, a Greenville Democrat, told Greenville News on Monday that he is considering running.
Elections will take place during the early summer state convention in late May/early June, marking the beginning of a new two-year cycle. The schedule for the competition has not yet been announced.
Political parties carry out major overhauls of their regional networks every six months. Grassroots workers will use this time to invite more people into the party camp through vigorous campaigns and fundraising.
more:SC Dems: Being the first primary in ’24 could be a big boon to the economy, voter turnout
It’s an important time for SC Democrats. Hosting the country’s first presidential primary could help revitalize the voting base.
It is unclear whether current SCDP chairman Trav Robertson will run for office again.
Robertson, from Anderson, has held the position of Supreme Leader since 2017. He told his Greenville news on Monday that he would either endorse the candidate or comment on plans to announce a bid for re-election on Wednesday.
But Robertson murmured Later on Monday, he said: “My friends, it will be a historic moment for our party if Cristale Spain is elected president!”
Spain’s announcement was supported by 45 Democrats in the state. Working with former South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges, Senators Margie Bright Matthews, D-Colton, and Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison to put South Carolina in first place in the primary Carroll Fowler of the National Committee of the United States was cited as a supporter.
Spain has experience serving as political director in Senator Bernie Sanders’ first presidential campaign. In 2020, she served as Senator Cory Booker’s South Carolina Political Bureau Director. During the recent election cycle, Spain was a senior adviser to the Black Engagement on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Amanda McDougald-Scott, chair of the Greenville Democratic Party, also endorsed Spain, saying that Spain has great credibility nationally, state-wide and locally. I know the party very well and have the necessary connections to be the leader of the state.”
The state party chairman is the face of the Democratic Party, and “as a black woman, I think that’s exciting,” said McDougald-Scott. He argued that as an early primary state, Carolina brought a type of diversity to the primary process not typical of other primary primary states.
more:Jaime Harrison’s candidacy is significant in the history of black political leaders in South Carolina
Upson, the leader of the black caucus, is running for First Vice-Chairman with Mary Jellen of Anderson County, Melina Rodero of Oconee County as Second Vice-Chairman, and Erica Sampson of Charleston County as Third Vice-Chairman.
All candidates who are part of the “SC Forward Together” nominations will be asked how they will change the party’s falling turnout and white voter turnout during the 2022 election. I used Twitter to highlight what I am doing.
Jellen unsuccessfully ran against Rep. Anne Thayer, R-Anderson and Jeff Duncan in the Third Congressional District, considered the Ruby Red portion of the state.
Meanwhile, Upson, who has campaigned for several local and state candidates, war of words With the current SCDP Chair. Robertson accused Upson of backing Republican candidates despite the Democrats running for the 2022 Charleston County Senate.
of response, Upson has admitted to backing Republican candidates before, but said the work was minor and limited to creating websites. He accused Robertson of misinterpreting his own work.
Will there be more challengers?
Elrod, who hails from Greenville, said it’s too early to know once the race has started. He’s considering running, but hasn’t made a decision yet, at least not until Robertson officially announces his plans.
Elrod last year worked for parties in states such as Delaware, New York, Maryland, Iowa, Minnesota, Georgia, Nevada and Arizona. He said he hopes to learn a new set of skills and hope that new leadership will emerge from the upstate.
Elrod is Greenville County’s First Vice Speaker and has been in politics since the days of President Barack Obama.
Whoever wins this summer, your new party chair has a lot to do. South Carolina has remained a Republican bastion for decades. In the 2022 election, all of the party’s statewide candidates lost by more than 10 percent to him.
No Democrat has won a statewide election since former state superintendent Jim Rex won in 2006.
more:Greenville Democrats prepare for the future by celebrating the legacy of three pioneering women
In the state legislature, Democrats lost one seat in the Richland County House of Representatives in the 2022 midterm elections, but lost eight seats. Some of them were led by black women congressmen. Republicans lead the SC House composition with her 88-36 matchup.
The last major Democratic pressure came when current DNC chairman Jaime Harrison launched a massive but unsuccessful run for Senator Lindsey Graham in 2020.
Harrison raised over $50 million to remove the longtime Republican senator from Easley. However, Graham won, winning his 55% of the statewide vote.
Devyani Chhetri covers the South Carolina State Capitol and is a watchdog reporter for the South Carolina government. You can reach her at dchhetri@gannett.com or @ChhetriDevyani.
