SC superdelegate sticks with O'Malley, keeping options open

A prominent S.C. superdelegate said Tuesday that he may look outside the Democratic Party now that his candidate, Martin O'Malley, has dropped out of the presidential race.

Former state Rep. Boyd Brown said he can’t back Bernie Sanders because of his socialist-leaning views. And the Fairfield County Democratic says he can’t support Hillary Clinton due to her lack of “core values.”

“It’s pretty frustrating to watch at this point,” Brown said. “You’ve got an FBI investigation going on with one candidate, and she’s running against a socialist.”

Former Maryland Gov. O'Malley suspended his campaign after a distant third-place finish in Monday’s Iowa caucus.

Democratic superdelegates can support the candidate of their choice at the party’s summer national convention, regardless of whom voters choose in the primaries and caucuses. Brown, who served two terms in S.C. House, said he remains technically committed to supporting O'Malley at the convention but, ultimately, might explore other political parties.

“I'll certainly be happy to listen to see if Bloomberg gets in,” Brown said, referring to former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has given himself until March to decide whether to enter the race.

Brown says whatever new candidate he chooses should hold some of O'Malley’s positions, including a willingness to deal with student-debt burdens and reform the nation’s infrastructure. Brown also said there are a handful of the more moderate Republican candidates whom he possibly could support, declining to give names.

“Who’s going to speak to my generation and our needs? If I feel like a Republican has got the solutions to our problems, then I'll listen to them,” Brown said.

This story was originally published February 2, 2016 at 7:16 PM with the headline "SC superdelegate sticks with O'Malley, keeping options open."