‘The wisdom of being here’: Santorum, SC pols usher in 2016 campaign season at Chapin Labor Day Parade

Cannon Fulmer has a keepsake from meeting George Bush 16 years ago, when the Texas governor and eventual two-term president marched in the Chapin Labor Day parade.

“He gave me an autograph on a wadded up piece of paper I had in my pocket,” said the 29-year-old Fulmer, now 29, watching this year’s parade with his wife and friends.

In the lineup was Republican Rick Santorum – the only White House contender shaking hands and posing for pictures along Chapin’s parade route Monday.

Other 2016 presidential White House hopefuls headed to Iowa and New Hampshire events for the holiday – a chance to make headway in early state contests.

But Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania who ran for president in 2012, opted to spend the weekend in the Palmetto State, where he sees promise for his underdog campaign.

“I was here four years ago, and I knew it’s a huge parade and great crowd,” said Santorum who also was the only 2016 hopeful to attend a NASCAR race in Darlington on Sunday.

“I thought it would be a nice one-two punch for Labor Day weekend.”

On being the only presidential candidate to appear in person for the parade, Santorum said, “It shows that someone is paying attention to South Carolina and going to events where there are people, not just going to fundraisers here.”

Santorum had the company of more than 90 groups, largely made up of the typical parade fare: marching bands, cheerleaders, sports teams, beauty queens, Boy Scouts, veterans groups and performers.

Volunteers and campaign staff members for six other GOP contenders – Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, and U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio – also marched along enthusiastically, wearing campaign swag and passing out stickers and pamphlets.

Graham is among a group of candidates in New Hampshire. Rubio was U.S. Sen. Tim Scott’s guest for a town hall meeting later Monday.

Santorum, who narrowly won the Iowa caucuses in 2012 and finished third in South Carolina’s GOP presidential primary, said the Palmetto State is important to his campaign.

“We feel like if we can win Iowa, our next best chance to get a victory is here in South Carolina,” he said.

Local politicians also frequent the parade, an opportunity to reach a lot of voters in one place, said state Rep. Chip Huggins, R-Lexington, likening the event to a dove hunt.

“When you have a lot of doves in the field, you want to take advantage of that,” he said.

Huggins and state Rep. Nathan Ballentine, R-Richland, finished the parade and headed to the dunking booth to await their shifts.

“I’m sure we’ll have some payback,” Huggins joked before his turn. “We’re kind of looking forward to going in the water.”

The parade also gave political newcomers a chance to connect with voters.

Bryan Clifton, a Republican running for the S.C. House seat currently held by Huggins, was working the crowd, jogging from one side of the street to the other.

“We’re excited to get out and see the people and enjoy Labor Day with everybody,” said Clifton, who timed his official campaign kickoff with the parade.

Children lining the street darted at the steady shower of candy falling at their feet.

But they also snatched up Dino Teppara’s campaign stickers as the first-time candidate came by.

Having attended parades in Chapin for a decade, Teppara, a state government agency spokesman, said participating in the parade is “really important.”

“People know when you’re not here,” he said, adding that he was the only Lexington County Council candidate marching in the parade.

“I can answer questions. I can talk to people,” Teppara said. “People need to see that you have a visible presence.”

U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, a Republican from Springdale, and his son S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson rode in a U.S. Army jeep, gripping a gun mounted on top.

Wilson said the parade is a family and political tradition worth keeping.

“I’ve got a great picture of my wife with Gov. Bush. That’s one of our favorite photos,” the congressman said.

“Every time I would see the president I would point out that hey, his career began not as governor of Texas, but by being in the Chapin Labor Day festival parade.”

Wilson also weighed in on Santorum’s Labor Day choice: “I congratulated him on the wisdom of being here.”

This story was originally published September 7, 2015 at 6:46 PM with the headline "‘The wisdom of being here’: Santorum, SC pols usher in 2016 campaign season at Chapin Labor Day Parade."