Former congressman endorses Robertson to head SC Democrats

A Columbia political operative running for chair of the S.C. Democratic Party has landed the endorsement of a former U.S. congressman ahead of the party’s vote later this month.

Former 5th District U.S. Rep. John Spratt, D-York, endorsed Trav Robertson Wednesday in a letter to party convention delegates.

“He knows every corner of our state and the politics that make each of them unique,” Spratt said of Robertson, who most recently ran Richland Democrat Mia McLeod’s successful state Senate campaign. “You can’t teach that, and our next chair is going to need that particular expertise.”

Spratt joins Democratic county party chairs from Abbeville, Anderson, Beaufort, Charleston, Georgetown, Oconee, Pickens and Williamsburg counties in endorsing Robertson.

Robertson’s opponent, Pawleys Island activist Susan Smith, boasts endorsements from former S.C. Gov. Jim Hodges, S.C. House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford of Richland and a host of other Democratic state legislators.

S.C. Democrats will elect their next chair – replacing outgoing chair Jaime Harrison – at the party’s annual state convention in Columbia on April 29.

This story was originally published April 13, 2017 at 1:03 PM with the headline "Former congressman endorses Robertson to head SC Democrats."