Richland coroner listed lawmakers as endorsers, but they weren’t. What happened?
Some current and former Columbia-area lawmakers as well the solicitor are not endorsing Richland County Coroner Gary Watts despite their names being on a mailer sent to hundreds of Richland County residents saying they support the current coroner for reelection.
Columbia City Councilwoman Tameika Issac Devine, state Rep. Leon Howard, Solicitor Byron Gipson and former Richland County Councilman Damon Jeter said they are not endorsing Watts.
But their names appeared on a mailer sent out by Watts’ campaign last week to Richland County voters. The mailer listed more than 60 former and current lawmakers as well as community leaders and prominent lawyers who appear to endorse Watts. The mailer also said the listed people endorsed current Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott for reelection in the upcoming June 9 primary.
Between two and three months ago, Devine told Watts she would support him, she told The State. That was when Watts was running against former coroner Frank Barron, who later exited the race. Since her verbal support was given to Watts, another candidate, Naida Rutherford, entered the coroner’s race.
Watts never verified he still had Devine’s support after Rutherford entered the race, Devine said.
Watts or his campaign staff did not contact Devine immediately before the mailer went out, she said. If anyone had contacted her, she would have informed Watts’ campaign that she now endorses Rutherford, she said.
Rep. Leon Howard, D-Columbia, said he experienced a similar situation with Watts. He gave his support when Watts’ only opposition was Barron and months before Rutherford entered the coroner’s race. When she entered, Howard said he no longer endorsed Watts for coroner. He was not contacted to ask if his name could go on the mailer, Howard said.
“That’s not trying to say Gary did something immoral,” Howard said. “Naida changed the dynamics of the whole process.”
Gipson, who leads the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office of Richland and Kershaw counties, said he was not contacted by Watts or a campaign staffer about an endorsement.
“I’m not endorsing anyone now,” said Gipson, adding that his name was spelled wrong on the mailer.
Neither Watts nor a campaign staffer for the coroner contacted Damon Jeter about using his name on the mailer, the former Richland County Council member said.
“I did not give Gary Watts permission to use my name,” said Jeter, who served on Richland County Council from 2004 to 2016.
“I’m not endorsing anybody,” he said.
Jeter said he supports Lott and because the mailer gives endorsements for Lott and Watts, the dual listing may have caused confusion and led to his name being included, according to Jeter.
State Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Richland, who is also listed for his endorsement of Watts, said he did not want to comment when The State asked if he endorsed Watts.
Two others listed as endorsing Watts on the mailer also said they didn’t want to comment.
Everyone on the mailer was contacted by Watts or a campaign staffer to receive the endorsements, Watts said. Some of the people on the mailer were contacted in January or February, and if they since renounced their endorsement, he wasn’t aware, Watts said.
“If they changed their mind after she (Naida Rutherford) entered the race and they contacted me, I would have taken them off the endorsement list,” Watts said. “I did everything by the books.”
Lawmakers including Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, state Sen. Mia McLeod, Richland County Council members Chip Jackson and Joyce Dickerson all said they are endorsing Watts for coroner.
Former legislator I.S. Leevy Johnson, a lawyer and popular funeral home director in the black community who is listed on the mailer, also said he endorses Watts.
“Gary is the best coroner we’ve ever had,” Johnson said. “I say that without any reservation.”
State Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Columbia, brought up the endorsements issue in a video he posted to Twitter Tuesday afternoon.
Rutherford said in the video that he began getting calls from lawmakers and others listed on the mailer who said they weren’t endorsing Watts. Rutherford was not named on the mailer.
“They had no clue this (the mailer) was going out,” Rutherford said in the video. “Gary Watts is assuming we’re idiots and if he puts names on a postcard and sends it out and says that they are supporting him, that black people will just line up and go vote for him.”
Naida Rutherford, Watts’ opponent, is Todd Rutherford’s ex-wife.
Rutherford ends the video by endorsing her.
Where the mailers were sent had nothing to do with race, Watts said. The mailer were sent to former Democratic primary voters.
“I think it’s dirty, dirty stuff,” Watts said of Rutherford’s video, calling it negative politics. “I don’t go negative on people. I stay with what we’ve done positive.”
Watts believes the video was less about criticizing him and more about Rutherford endorsing his ex-wife.
“I just assume let my work speak for what I’ve done,” Watts said.
In the past, Rutherford has supported Watts. Rutherford told The State he stopped supporting Watts because he doesn’t agree with state laws concerning qualifications to become a South Carolina coroner that Watts backed. Rutherford considers the current laws for coroner qualification too restrictive.
Rutherford also contends that the Richland County Democratic Leadership Council, which is listed as endorsing Watts, is “made up.”
“It’s like me and you saying we’re going to call ourselves ’the Lake Murray Group,’” Rutherford told The State. “You don’t just put peoples’ names on a flier and say they support you.”
Johnson is listed as the chairman of the council and told The State the council does exist. He described it as “a loose group of loyal Democrats.”
The council’s primary function is to give endorsements, Johnson said.
Watts became Richland County coroner in 2000 and is the current president of the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners.
Naida Rutherford is a board-certified nurse practitioner who filed to run for Richland County coroner in March.
“(Todd) Rutherford is a colleague,” said Howard, the State House representative from Columbia.
Todd Rutherford’s connection to Watt’s opponent is “hard to overcome,” Howard said.
Watts and Naida Rutherford are vying for the Democratic nomination in the June primary. No Republican has filed to run.
This story was originally published May 20, 2020 at 2:07 PM.