Staff reports | Vice President Kamala Harris today made a surprise visit to Columbia today to file paperwork for President Joe Biden to appear on the state Democratic Party presidential primary ballot.
She was accompanied by state Democratic kingpin and U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, who helped to resuscitate Biden’s 2020 campaign, according to The New York Times, by endorsing him three days before the Palmetto State’s 2020 primary. Biden repaid the favor by pushing the Democratic National Committee to put South Carolina at the front of the party’s presidential nominating calendar in 2024. It will be held Feb. 3.
The filing comes on the heels of a chaotic week for Biden and his team, as the beginning of the week showed Biden trailing behind his likely Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, in five of six expected battleground states. Then in Tuesday’s elections, Democrats’ spirits were raised when the party performed well in states like Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio.
U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and Marianne Williamson, the self-help author who ran in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, have already filed paperwork to appear on South Carolina’s Democratic presidential primary ballot.
In other South Carolina news:
S.C. lawmakers to examine potential changes to judge selection in state. For the last several months, more voices have been added to calls for South Carolina to reform the way it picks judges.
Tecklenburg, Cogswell get runoff endorsements. Clay Middleton, who came in third Tuesday in Charleston’s six-way mayoral race, on Thursday endorsed incumbent Mayor John Tecklenburg. Challenger William Cogswell was endorsed Wednesday by fourth-place candidate Peter Shahid. In other election news for the week:
State board of education aims to have final say on books. The state Department of Education has released a draft proposal of regulations that would impose tighter restrictions on materials allowed in school libraries, including the ability to have final say on all contested material.
Haley comes out swinging in 3rd GOP debate. Former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley staked out a clear vision in a five-way debate Wednesday while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis avoided risks. Former President Donald Trump, again, emerged untouched. According to this story, “Nikki Haley emerged as a power center on the debate stage, giving a forceful performance that took advantage of the night’s focus on foreign policy to present a clear and hawkish vision of America’s role in the world.”
State agriculture department to take over restaurant inspections. The South Carolina Department of Agriculture will oversee restaurant inspections starting next year, taking over from the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
S.C. turtles have big nesting season, but threats continue. Despite predation and climate-related setbacks, an estimated 387,000 turtle hatchlings made it to the ocean this year from South Carolina beaches, an above average number compared to other years.
SCETV nature star Mancke dies. Rudy Mancke, South Carolina’s naturalist who opened the world of the outdoors to many with his curiosity, patience and passion on his SCETV show NatureScene and one-minute nature segments on S.C. Public Radio, passed away at age 78 Tuesday night.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!