Staff reports | Thousands of Democrats will flock to a North Charleston field Oct. 5 to see big-name presidential candidates as the Charleston County Democratic Party holds its 2019 Blue Jamboree.
The event, which has been growing since it started in 2010 with 150 people, is getting a lot of attention due to the 2020 presidential contest with more than 2,000 tickets already being sold, according to the county party.
Through Sunday, the party is selling tickets for 50 percent off for the event, which will feature other big names in the party, live music and more in The Bend off Azalea Road in North Charleston.
Sponsors of the event include these presidential candidates: Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Tom Steyer, Cory Booker, Andrew Yang, Pete Buttigieg, Michael Bennet, Tulsi Gabbard and Julian Castro.
A volunteer told Statehouse Report that previous highest attendance was 1,000 for the 2015 event, which included Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and former Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley. She said the Charleston County Democratic Party may look at capping attendance if it continues to swell.
- Ticket info
- More 2020 presidential news is below.
In other South Carolina news:
Younger correctional officers floated. The Legislative Audit Council released a limited review of the S.C. Department of Corrections. The review (click here) found the department has increased its advertising budget by 2,000 percent from 2013 to 2017, but there has been little to measure the outcome of those ads on recruitment. The report made two additional suggestions: look at allowing correctional officers as young as 18 years old, and conduct background checks on employees and volunteers after hiring consistently. The current minimum age for correctional officers in South Carolina is 21.
‘Alarming’ report shows dire need of affordable housing in S.C. SC Housing released its first comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment for the state of South Carolina in nearly 22 years. In 41 of 46 counties in the state, the average renter is unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment, and current affordable housing only serves one-in-five low-income renters. It called the findings “alarming” and said it should prompt “legislation and in housing policy.” Read the report.
Legal justice group turns 40. Appleseed Legal Justice is turning 40. The group will celebrate 5:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at Senate’s End in Columbia. Click here for information.
Learn about ‘Killer Heat’ in Southeast. The Southeastern Alliance for Clean Energy this week partnered with the Union of Concerned Scientists for a presentation on what climate change means for the Southeast, and what policies should be considered. If you missed the live webinar, here’s the video of the event.
DNA processing has 8,000 cases piled up. S.C. sheriffs are calling for more taxpayer dollars as the state crime lab has an 8,000-case DNA backlog. Read more.
Santee Cooper to phase out coal station. The state-owned utility announced this week that one of its two remaining coal-fired power stations in Georgetown County will be shuttered over the next decade. Read more.
2020 candidate calendar
Throughout the campaign season, we are working to keep South Carolina informed of candidate events in the state. Have an event you want us to know about? Email us at 2020news@statehousereport.com.
Marianne Williamson returns to S.C. Democratic presidential candidate and advice author Marianne Williamson will be at an event 6:30 p.m. Aug. 30 at Unity Church of Greenville in Taylors. She then goes to Georgia for a series of weekend events.
Warren joins Clyburn for Sept. 3 student-debt event. Sixth District U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C.. will host a town hall at S.C. State University in Orangeburg on Sept. 3 to discuss the Student Loan Debt Relief Act. The bill’s co-sponsor, Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, will attend.
More head to stump. Folks at the Sept. 16 Galivants Ferry Stump meeting confirmed that more presidential candidates will speak at the event, which starts at 5 p.m. and will be moderated by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C. Joining Biden and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar will be Buttigieg and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii. More are expected.
Sept. 12 Democratic debate lineup set. The Democratic National Committee has announced that 10 candidates will face off in Houston Sept. 12. The debate will air on ABC News. The candidates participating in the debate include: former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke as well as Klobuchar, Booker, Buttigieg, Sanders, Biden, Warren, Harris, Yang and Castro. More info.
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