STATEHOUSE REPORT | ISSUE 20.02 | JAN. 8, 2021
BOTANY BAY. One of South Carolina’s beautiful, wild places is Botany Bay on Edisto Island in Charleston County. Protected by the state and open to the public since 2008, it offers more than 3,300 acres of wildlife habitat and historic assets, such as Native American shell rings. Check out why Charleston photographer English Purcell calls it a Lowcountry treasure in this photo essay in sister publication Charleston Currents.(Photo by English Purcell.)
BIG STORY: GOP may be soul-searching, but not much in S.C., observers say
NEWS BRIEFS: Five S.C. congressmen oppose certification of Biden election
LOWCOUNTRY, Ariail: What took you so long?
COMMENTARY, Brack: Scott may face 2022 challenge from his own party
SPOTLIGHT: S.C. Farm Bureau
FEEDBACK: Keep up the good work
MYSTERY PHOTO: Shells — and something else
GOP may be soul-searching, but not so much in S.C., some say
News analysis by Andy Brack | After a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol Wednesday and caused destruction, death and havoc, political leaders and observers have been quick to wonder what the fallout will be for the Republican Party.
Once a conservative party that focused on lower taxes, free trade and big business, it buckled under President Donald Trump, whose fiery rhetoric tore apart civility, promoted extremism and divided the country. Old-time, moderate country-club Republicans got swept away by partisan Trumpites who felt the president’s words and actions as a candidate and leader reflected how they had been left out of the American dream.
One state Republican insider wondered whether Wednesday’s mob violence would spark a civil war within the Grand Old Party.
“The thought did occur to me yesterday … that we could well be on the road to major party realignment where we see more than two political parties define the landscape,” said the insider, who asked not to be identified. “More than two major parties, forcing leaders to form governing coalitions, might not be a bad thing for us, if it re-focuses politicians on delivering results, rather than getting re-elected.”
Soul-searching for the national party likely will carry the day at the national level, although observers will be watching to see what Trump does with the millions of dollars he raised after the November election with false claims of a rigged election. Some say he may form a new conservative media network. Others wonder whether he’ll be a continuing thorn in the side of President-elect Joe Biden in an attempt to remain relevant to run in 2024.
At about the time the mob was storming the Capitol Wednesday, former GOP Lt. Gov. Ken Ard of Florence, who hosts a radio talk show in his hometown, answered a Statehouse Report inquiry from earlier in the day. He remarked on the passions of Trump supporters.
“I’ve never seen this sort of intensity within a group of voters. They will eventually punish anyone they feel betrayed Trump,” Ard said, adding the national GOP could suffer because of that conundrum.
“The million-dollar question is where do these people go now? Home, stay involved, madder than hell? I don’t have a clue. They aren’t Republican voters, but rather Trump voters.”
Hours after the mob violence, Ard posted a message on Facebook about how heartbroken he was about the violence. But he added:
“You had to see this coming. We are a nation deeply divided and in a very dangerous place. Half of our country doesn’t care much at all for the other half. And vice versa. Today was not simply about ‘stop the steal’ and the 2020 election. But rather a complicated manifestation of years and years of many Americans and their growing lack of faith and trust in the authoritative entities and people in power. Those who perpetrated violence and disrespect today aren’t the only ones who need to do some serious soul-searching tonight.”
Business as usual in South Carolina
Retired Francis Marion University Professor Neal Thigpen, a lifelong moderate Republican stalwart, appears on Ard’s show about every Friday to discuss politics.
He believes Trumpism is so ingrained in South Carolina — five members of Congress from the state voted against certifying Biden’s election — that the state Republican Party won’t change much in the years ahead.
Moderates, he said, don’t have the numbers to reshape the party. So in South Carolina, it will be business as usual as politicians take cues from the right wing of the party to craft policies at the state level.
“I don’t see any movement [among GOP moderates] here in South Carolina,” Thigpen said. “There just aren’t enough of us to wrest back control of the party. … I don’t think the more moderate old-time Republicans like me … have got much chance to change things in South Carolina with respect to the party and its direction.”
Part of the reason is found in South Carolina’s history of independence — of not liking to be told what to do. It took decades, he said, for the General Assembly to switch from Democratic to Republican control to catch up to how voters turned more conservative. And it will take a long time for it to swing the other way, he added.
“When South Carolinians get behind one party or the other, they tend to stick with it until something really dramatic happens,” said Thigpen, 81.
“This bunch today in South Carolina are in lockstep [with Trump]. They don’t look left and right or look at issues. They’re dug in and are going to stay dug in until something comes along to make them switch … and that’s not going to happen in my lifetime.”
Andy Brack is editor and publisher of Statehouse Report. Have a comment? Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com.
Five S.C. GOP reps oppose certification of Biden election
Staff reports | Five Republican U.S. House members from South Carolina voted in the dead of night early Thursday to object to President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, hours after a mob of pro-Trump supporters broke into the chambers where the members later gathered to vote.
The five members from South Carolina’s delegation who voted to contest the certification of Electoral College results were:
- U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan
- U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman
- U.S. Rep. Tom Rice
- U.S. Rep. William Timmons
- U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson
At 3:08 a.m. Thursday, 282 House members voted against the objection and 138 members voted in favor of the objection. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace — fresh off a narrow victory in the moderate, Charleston-anchored 1st District — was the only House Republican from South Carolina to vote down the objections. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, a Democrat who represents parts of Charleston and the Midlands, also voted against the election protest.
Neither of South Carolina’s United States senators, Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, joined the objections. Graham, who was among Trump’s most strident defenders during the election, said in a speech late Wednesday, “Count me out. Enough is enough.”
In Washington and across the country, there’s a growing list of leaders calling from Trump’s impeachment or removal, according to Raw Story. Meanwhile, former Trump Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina resigned Thursday from a State Department post after the mob violence, according to The State.
In other news this week:
State leaders react to D.C. mob violence. Here are some reactions from state leaders on the mob violence that erupted Wednesday in Washington:
Gov. Henry McMaster: “It is hard to believe what we are seeing at our beloved Capitol. We should be alarmed – but also deeply saddened. Protest is honored, but violence cannot be tolerated. Those who believe in America should leave the building immediately. The rule of law must prevail.” Twitter, Jan. 6, 2021.
Former GOP U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis, who represented the Greenville area for six terms: “To see a marauding band of thugs defiling the place was and is too much to take. Even now, tears are welling. It’s such a reproach to have such a crass Inciter in Chief, a commander of insurrection. I’m just so glad that I got my name on one of the earliest Never Trump lists. January 20th cannot come soon enough. May he be removed before then.” Email, Jan. 7, 2021.
Sen. Mia McLeod, D-Columbia: “After witnessing these remarkable acts of sedition during an attempted coup at the behest of Mr. Trump, it is incumbent upon those who occupy key leadership positions in South Carolina to renounce these unfounded conspiracy theories, condemn the violence, punish the offenders and impose additional safety measures to ensure that deadly, treasonous acts like these do not occur here. Not tonight. Not next week. Not ever.” Press release, Jan. 6, 2021.
Sen. Marlon Kimpson, D-Charleston: “Yesterday’s actions are painful to have to explain to my children, ages 3 and 7. One day I will, but not now. Fortunately for this great country, we have a new leader. A leader who is focused on unity and building the country back better for all Americans, regardless of political affiliation. Notwithstanding of what happened yesterday, I still believe the best of our country is still yet to come.” Press release, Jan. 7, 2021.
Rep. Marvin Pendarvis, D-North Charleston: “I’m not surprised by what happened today when you have a President who has fanned the flames of hatred and division for years and it’s sewn into that, you reap those kinds of seeds.” Trident United Way forum, Jan. 6, 2021.
Rep. Sylleste Davis, R-Moncks Corner: “There are things you disagree on. We’ve got to find ways to come together and work for the people and that’s going to happen at a grassroots level, that’s going to happen in groups like this where we have common goals and we have common desires to help the people in our community.” Trident United Way forum, Jan. 6, 2021.
Virus rages. Since the first of the year, state officials have announced 22,210 new cases of COVID-19 and 461 new deaths as the virus raged through the Palmetto State. As of Thursday, more than 85 percent of the state’s hospital beds (9,484) were occupied, including 2,425 virus patients, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. Meanwhile, state officials have rolled out a plan to deliver vaccinations to South Carolinians, according to the Charleston City Paper. The Greenville News reported one of every 1,000 South Carolinians has died from COVID-19. The Greenville area, The Post and Courier reported, is one of the nation’s big hotspots for the virus.
McMaster to release budget. The governor is set to release a 2021-22 budget today that includes $400 million in new education spending, kindergarten through college. More.
Sam Spence, editor of the Charleston City Paper, contributed to this news roundup. Have a comment? Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com
What took you so long?
Enjoy this new cartoon from Robert Ariail, first published in our sister newspaper, the Charleston City Paper. Love it? Hate it? What do you think: feedback@statehousereport.com.
Scott may face 2022 challenge from his own party
By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | So what’s a Republican U.S. senator from South Carolina supposed to do to keep MAGA-hat conservatives mollified? Particularly after voting against President Trump during certification of the presidential election that led a mob to storm the Capitol?
For U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, the task is pretty easy. He’ll spend the next four years spewing vitriol about incoming President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, just like he did during the Obama administration. He wants conservatives to forget how he dumped Trump in the last addled days of his presidency after spending four years licking his boots and carrying his golf clubs. Graham figures by the time his next reelection comes up in 2026, he’ll have spent six years trying to fix potential damage from anyone who might consider running against him in a primary.
But Lowcountry U.S. Sen. Tim Scott has a thornier problem. His “betrayal” of Trump by voting to uphold the U.S. Constitution has to be explained by 2022, which he’s said would be his last time running. He’s been a loyal Trump ally and has given him cover on some race issues. But Trump acolytes, notably the disturbed mob and their supporters who didn’t make it to the Jan. 6 party at the Capitol, are livid.
They won’t remember Scott tried to keep their support by proposing a thinly-veiled “please don’t sack me” measure to examine the integrity of the 2020 presidential election — even though it’s crystal clear that Trump’s delusional “stop the steal” message was not rooted in reality. Trump loyalists won’t forget what they see as Scott’s anti-Trump vote.
Just look at negative Facebook reactions to a comment Scott made condemning the violence at the Capitol:
“You should have fought for us to be heard! Now we have to do it ourselves!”
“’Team Scott is safe,’ you think that’s our first concern right now?? You’ve contributed to what’s going on today as much as any other member of the GOP. May your party go the way of the Whigs.”
“You are partly to blame for not backing your President.”
“You should have faught (sic) to save our constitution. WE THE PEOPLE PAY YOUR SALARY.”
Translate all of this into politics and it means Scott faces a real possibility of being challenged in the GOP 2022 primary by a Trump supporter. If that person is white, the ugly unspoken issue of race will automatically be part of the primary — even if no one overtly admits it or obliquely says anything about it.
“The Trump version of the GOP only seems to reward loyalty, not to the rule of law — not to traditional norms, not to clearly-defined standards of behavior, but to one thing only, what’s is Trump’s wish or demand,” said Greenville political analyst Chip Felkel. “That’s not a party. That’s cult-like behavior.
“Scott is better than that and he’s proved it by not going along with the political theater. He was bitterly attacked for doing the right thing and depending on what Trump’s status is, he may find himself with a challenge should he run again. That’s an unfortunate result of Trumpism.”
Political science professor Danielle Vinson of Furman University said she thought Scott would be able to explain what he did, which was to follow the U.S. Constitution. And because most people don’t pay close attention to politics, they might not hear messages of betrayal from hard-core Trump supporters fronting a candidate to oppose Scott..
“But for all those base supporters, there are others who spent four years rationalizing Trump to themselves because they are Republican and wanted Republicans in control,” Vinson said. “As Trump recedes — and he will at least for those watching something other than Trump media — most Republicans will be fine by 2022 with Scott’s decision, or they’ll at least be willing to listen to his explanation.”
As of Sept. 30, Scott’s campaign committee had $6.6 million cash on hand, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Andy Brack is editor and publisher of Statehouse Report. His column also is published in the Charleston City Paper, Florence Morning News, Greenwood Index Journal, The (Seneca) Journal, Camden Chronicle Independent and Hartsville Messenger. Have a comment? Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com.
S.C. Farm Bureau
Statehouse Report is provided for free to thousands of subscribers thanks to the generosity of our underwriters. Today we shine a spotlight on our newest underwriter, S.C. Farm Bureau. It is a grassroots, non-profit organization that celebrates and supports family farmers, locally-grown food and rural lands through legislative advocacy, education and community outreach.
S.C. Farm Bureau’s alliance of nearly 100,000 members includes everyone from foodies and fishermen to lawyers, restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and of course, farmers. By connecting farmers to the larger community, the organization cultivates understanding about agriculture’s importance to our local economies. The S.C. Farm Bureau explains its mission: “We deepen our collective knowledge of who, where and how food grows. We empower people to make informed choices. We grow mutually-beneficial relationships. And, we ensure the future of the family farms, locally-grown food and the rural South Carolina lands we love.”
- To learn more about S.C. Farm Bureau’s programs, click here.
- To view media and publications, click here
- For policy and legislation, click here.
Keep up the good work
To the editor:
I subscribe to the Morning News paper (Florence, S.C. ) and read your opinion article published in our paper on 1.2.21 ” Legislators Should Be Bold after a Decade of Timidity.”
I could not agree more. The article you wrote captures the items in bullet points that we as a state need to address yesterday. I could address each one but you have done an excellent job of that.
How can you get this “preached” to everyone so we can address this and move our state forward ? In economics, we speak of leading and lagging Indicators … seems our legislators are always lagging. Not leading, no forward thinking. Every successful business I know has a five-plus year plan of moving forward. Where is South Carolina’s?
Please keep up the good work on these items
— Tim Cunningham, Florence
Send us your thoughts. We love hearing from our readers and encourage you to share your opinions. But to be published, you’ve got to provide us with contact information so we can verify your letters. Letters to the editor are published weekly. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. Comments are limited to 250 words or less. Please include your name and contact information.
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Shells and something else
What in the world is the brown thing in the middle of this picture of shells on a beach? Send your guess to feedback@statehousereport.com — and remember to include your name, home city and contact information.
Last week’s mystery showed an image from the Spartanburg Buddhist Center. Congratulations to these eagle eyes who correctly identified it: Kevin Mertens of Greenville; Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas; Henry Eldridge of Tega Cay; Dale Rhodes of Richmond, Va.; Jay Altman of Columbia; Jacie Godfrey of Florence; George Graf of Palmyra, Va.; and Frank Bouknight of Summerville.
Peel noted that there appear to be nine Buddhist temples or monasteries in South Carolina. “The Buddhist temple and meditation center in today’s mystery photo was founded in Spartanburg in 2010 by Cambodian-American Buddhists. This center incorporates Theravāda Buddhist traditions. Theravāda, which means ‘School of the Elders,’ is the name of the oldest existing school of Buddhism that continues to be practiced today and focuses on experiences and thoughtful analysis rather than pure faith. It teaches the Four Noble Truths: the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and truth of the path that ends suffering.”
Send us a mystery. If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com and mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
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We Can Do Better, South Carolina!
