BY WILL GALLOWAY, Sophomore
BLYTHEWOOD- South Carolina’s first-in-the-South Presidential Primary, scheduled for Feb. 20, is considered one of the most important nominating contests.
Our state has helped spur on the hopes of candidates from Barack Obama to Ronald Reagan; and in a year with 16 republican candidates and 7 democratic ones, South Carolina will likely fill a pivotal role again.
“South Carolina is where candidates either consolidate their lead or change the course of the nation’s opinion,” said Eady Roe Willard, Chairman of the Richland County Republican party.
Willard believes grassroots campaigning makes a huge difference in South Carolina, quoting former SCGOP Chairman Katon Dawson and saying, “a voter in South Carolina would not commit to a candidate until he or she has had a chance to look them in the eye and shake their hand at least three times.”
Willard remembered a story from the 2000 Republican Primary, when a friend of hers, and George W. Bush supporter, saw the McCain campaign was out-performing Bush on the grassroots level, “She called his Campaign Headquarters in Texas, told them how they were being out-performed, and offered to donate office space to have a Bush Campaign Headquarters in her office building in Charleston.”
Willard credits that moment as the beginning of Bush’s turnaround in South Carolina.
Blythewood AP Government Teacher Patrick Kelly also commented on the 2000 election, saying “Bush knew that the McCain campaign was out of momentum,” and that after South Carolina, “Bush knew he would be the nominee.”
Kelly believes that South Carolina republicans look for “Adherence to traditional values and fiscal discipline,” and Willard says that “South Carolina is a microcosm of our Nation’s voters: equally divided between social and fiscal conservatives, far-right conservatives, libertarians, and moderates.”
“This is also what makes South Carolina so important in the National Primary,” Willard said.
James D’Alessio, advisor to former senator and Presidential candidate Rick Santorum, said, “South Carolina republican voters tend to look for well-rounded conservative Republicans who represent all three legs of the Reagan stool- fiscal conservatives, social conservatives, and foreign policy conservatives.”
On the Democratic side, Kelly said, “Because of the large number of African American voters, South Carolina is the first contest where candidates have to address affirmative action and civil rights.”
In the 2008 Democratic Primary, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were tied going into South Carolina, where Obama won.
“South Carolina was essential to Obama. If he had not won South Carolina he would not have beaten Hillary,” Kelly said of Obama’s victory here.
“It showed that Obama had a larger appeal than just Iowa, and that Hillary was weak among African Americans.”
“It showed that Obama had a larger appeal than just Iowa, and that Hillary was weak among African Americans.”
Every candidate takes a slightly different approach to campaigning in South Carolina, but Donald Trump’s method may be the most unique.
Donald Trump South Carolina Executive Committee Member Justin Evans said, “While every candidate is going about it differently, Trump is not going through the traditional route of knocking on doors or attending barbecues.”
Evans believes that Trump has a very strong chance to win in South Carolina.
“It would be monumental,” and said, “Presidential primaries are all about momentum, and winning South Carolina would set the stage for winning the nomination.”
Rick Santorum has taken a different approach, visiting the state 21 times already, often to walk in parades or host townhalls in small towns.
“The key to success here in South Carolina is to make an investment of time to come here and let the voters get a sense of who you are,” said D’Alessio, who believes South Carolinians deserve candidates who are easily accessible.
Evans feels South Carolina has learned its lesson from picking a non-serious candidate in 2012, and will change in 2016, saying, “Newt Gingrich was a national embarrassment, and South Carolina will definitely pick the nominee this time.”
“South Carolina gives candidates who did well in Iowa or New Hampshire to show they have a broader geographic appeal,” said D’Alessio.
Willard believes that her job as a county party chairman is to give voters the opportunity to hear from all of the candidates.
“It is our responsibility to form our opinions based on what the actual candidate says and has actually accomplished,” she said.
Willard told the story of a town hall with Chris Christie (R-NJ), “He spoke for 15 minutes and took questions for 75 minutes,” showing a willingness to take direct questions, something most candidates do not do.
Kelly said, “Marco Rubio is positioned to do well [here], Ted Cruz could do well, but I do not expect Trump to do well.”
On the Democratic side, Kelly said, “Right now, Hillary, because people do not see Bernie Sanders as a viable alternative, but if Biden gets in, he could do very well.”
Kelly wants to remind Blythewood Students that seniors will most likely be able to vote, provided they turn 18 by November, and Willard would ask people to go see all of the candidates, as they are all very accomplished.
Kelly wants to remind Blythewood Students that seniors will most likely be able to vote, provided they turn 18 by November, and Willard would ask people to go see all of the candidates, as they are all very accomplished.
