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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 1 February 2019
South Carolina Dems overwhelmed by flood of 2020 contenders

By MEG KINNARD "The definition of being a
Associated Press Democrat is not analogous
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — with being structured," said
South Carolina Democrats state Sen. Marlon Kimpson,
are feeling overwhelmed. a Democrat representing
Sens. Cory Booker and Ber- Charleston who plans a
nie Sanders, who are poten- series of forums with Demo-
tial presidential contenders, cratic contenders. "We're
were just in town. Sens. Ka- not Republicans."
mala Harris and Elizabeth Still, Democrats haven't
Warren, both presidential won the governor's man-
candidates, have already sion in two decades. Out-
been here. Another White side presidential primaries,
House hopeful, Sen. Kirsten Democrats are largely ir-
Gillibrand, will pay her first relevant, leaving the party
visit in February. with little money and few
And this is just the begin- veteran political operatives
ning. who can guide candidates
Ahead of the most wide- through South Carolina's
open Democratic primary complicated politics.
in a generation, South Car- "Simply, we don't have a lot
olinians will soon be flood- of people who have won,"
ed with dozens of White Fowler said. "As such, we
House hopefuls. More than don't have a very deep
a year away, the contest This photo taken Jan. 14, 2019, shows New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker walking with South Carolina bench of good, experi-
is already shaping up as NAACP president Brenda Murphy during a Martin Luther King Junior Day march and rally in Co- enced operatives."
the most consequential lumbia, S.C. Some candidates have
in recent memory. For the Associated Press sought to turn the sparse re-
first time, it's expected to sources into an opportuni-
feature two black candi- the most dedicated politi- how South Carolina Demo- is an absolutely enormous ty. Ahead of last year's mid-
dates — Harris and Booker cal activist. But it's especial- crats will handle next year's number of candidates right terms, Warren dispatched
— competing for support in ly challenging in South Car- primary. now." one of her staffers, Saloni
the first primary state with olina, where Democrats "It will be a crush, at least She said the state Demo- Sharma, to South Carolina
a significant African-Amer- have fewer resources than for a while," said Carol cratic Party will likely need to help run the state party's
ican population. in other traditional early- Fowler, a former state par- to bulk up on staff soon communications efforts.
The prospect of so many voting states such as Iowa ty chairwoman and long- to coordinate with all the Sharma has since left South
White House contenders is and New Hampshire. That's time Democratic National campaigns. Carolina to work on War-
enough to wear out even raising concerns about Committee member. "This Republicans were in a simi- ren's presidential explorato-
lar spot in 2016, when 17 ry committee. But Warren's
candidates competed for gesture of help could gen-
president. By the time the erate goodwill among the
South Carolina primary ar- party faithful when it's time
rived, a half-dozen were still to vote.
on the ballot in a contest So far, most of the 2020 visits
that gauged the support of have been brief, requiring
religious conservatives. little support from the state
But South Carolina is a Re- party. Booker and Sanders
publican stronghold. In the marched in and spoke at
2016 general election, Pres- a Martin Luther King Jr. Day
ident Donald Trump carried rally in Columbia. Sanders
the state with 55 percent of appeared later at a com-
the vote. The GOP controls munity forum and met
both legislative chambers, with the Legislative Black
all statewide-elected of- Caucus. Harris, fresh off an-
fices and most of the con- nouncing her presidential
gressional seats. campaign, spoke to fellow
And Republicans have a members of the Alpha Kap-
more sophisticated struc- pa Alpha sorority last week
ture, with organization that at their annual Pink Ice
extends to the county lev- Gala, but left shortly after
el. Democrats, meanwhile, singing the organization's
manage most of their op- song and taking selfies with
erations at the state level the crowd.
and focus less on strong As the campaign season
county parties. goes on, voters will be ex-
These factors helped the pecting more substantive
GOP develop the financial visits, such as gatherings in
and organizational abil- churches and among com-
ity to sift through a compli- munity groups, said Jaime
cated primary in 2016. But Harrison, Democratic state
Democrats say they don't party chairman in the 2016
want to change. cycle.q