South Carolina Democratic Party

SCDems News

The Obama factor

June 9, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama has clinched the Democratic nomination for the highest office in the land, but his ability to capture South Carolina's eight electoral votes and turn a largely red state blue is a horse of another color.
South Carolina hasn't voted for a Democrat since President Jimmy Carter in 1976, but the tone of Obama's campaign has been to breach the barriers of gender, race and even party. Republicans and Democrats alike have marveled at the success of his campaign but ultimately differ on what type of impact it will have on South Carolina's voters during November's general election.

"I believe South Carolina will be one of the last three states to go red, but Obama or somebody behind him could change things. John Kennedy made some moves that people did not think could have happened. On the other hand, Bill Clinton also did. So, we've seen some folks do some exciting things," said Danny Covington, vice chairman of the Orangeburg County Democratic Party.

"Up until Ronald Reagan, South Carolina was a state that could be won by Democrats. It's only recently that this has changed. I do believe that the working people - when they start weighing the economics of the way they've been voting - may very well swing South Carolina back into the Democratic way of voting," said Covington, noting that Obama's appeal among the masses will have a big influence on his campaign for the presidency.

"It appears that Obama has moved to another level that we have never seen before. He can cross race, gender, economics and any other barriers. That may be in people's mind and that he can assimilate a group of people that can understand what he's saying and move toward his direction," he said.

While Obama may not be hitting the state's voters age 65 and above as successfully, a younger voting block and overall concerns over a struggling economy will be a tremendous help to Obama, Covington said.

"People would like to see this politics of polarization end. I don't know that one campaign can move us away from it totally, but I do believe that America would like to see people working together. People have now developed relationships in the work force and are beginning to realize it doesn't make much difference where you live or what party you're in. When your boss doesn't give you a raise, it crosses gender and everything else," he said.

Katon Dawson, chairman of the S.C. Republican Party, said while Obama's Democratic nomination is historic and indicative of the "great progress" America has made on justice and equality issues, national problems won't be fixed by "the swipe of a pen" as Democrats seemingly believe.

He said a struggling economy, which is largely marked by crippling gas prices, is one of those problems.

"The fact remains that Republicans will hold firm to the majority if our Republicans stay true to the principles of our party like limited government, lower taxes, traditional values and - the most important thing - embracing change rather than defending the same old rhetoric that I think have cost a lot of states their majorities," Dawson said.

"I think the national temperature of Barack Obama's campaign is certainly exciting, but we've got a long primary season to go here in South Carolina and a general election season coming up. I think the GOP majority will be in very good shape in South Carolina," said Dawson, noting that rising gas prices have been long-simmering problems that he feels Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, can handle more efficiently with a disciplined energy policy.

"We're a state that, I guess, has isolated ourselves with some of the national problems, but these are problems that have been years coming. I think that John McCain has the leadership ability, experience and judgment to help us at this crossroads in our country right now. This state has not gone in the Democratic column since Jimmy Carter. We look forward to mirroring that success," Dawson said. "That's not said out of arrogance, but hard work, and there's a lot of it to do."

Carol Fowler, chairperson of the S.C. Democratic Party, said while one presidential candidacy won't create a permanent shift in the state's traditional voting style, Obama's candidacy will help draw more new voters into the political process.

"Sen. Obama is going to be hugely popular in South Carolina. I think that he's going to draw votes in: people who haven't participated before, or people who don't participate very often. That's going to make a difference not only in the presidential race but in other races. I think we're going to see a lot of eagerness among Democrats to get to the polls this year," she said.

"We're seeing a kind of enthusiasm from voters for Obama that we've never seen before for any other candidate. He has a very charismatic personality and is a wonderful speaker. At a time in this country when the majority of people think the country is on the wrong track, a candidate who offers change is just what the voters are looking for," she said.

Fowler said Obama's candidacy is a good start toward changing the GOP majority in South Carolina.

"It's a very good start, and I think we will see a different climate here this fall from maybe two years ago. It's a good step on the way to permanent change. Democrats then have to pick up that ball and run with it."

Dr. Roosevelt Ratliff Jr. is a professor and assistant vice president of leadership development at Claflin University. He said Obama's candidacy represents "a new era of transformation" across the country, especially for African-American voters.

"On the other hand, we have to look at the total picture and whether or not this is going to turn off Southern white voters. Indications were that this was not happening. The status quo, economy and the war ... and other negative factors which have plunged the rating of (President George) Bush to a record low ... are going to combine to actually compel voters, I think, ... to vote for Barack Obama because a change is needed," said Ratliff, noting that Obama will then likely campaign heavily in South Carolina and other traditionally Republican Southern states.

"He's going to have to ... maintain the same momentum that he had in the primary for the national election. The South, however, has traditionally relied upon the Christian right. So, that's a solid kind of vote that I'm quite sure is going to go heavily Republican," he said.

That block is among the voters that Dawson said will help the Republican Party retain its political buoyancy in the state and secure victory in the presidential election.

"Republicans in South Carolina are not going to be mean (during campaign season). We're going to be factual and, most of all, we're going to be honest. And I think the voters are going to reward us by helping us retain the party's super majority in the (S.C.) House and increase the party's 27-seat majority in the state Senate," Dawson said.

 

The Times and Democrat