Republican grandson of WWII Gen. George S. Patton backs Cunningham in SC-1 race
U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham, a Charleston Democrat, on Tuesday picked up the endorsement of George Patton “Pat” Waters, grandson of World War Two Gen. George S. Patton.
The announcement, which comes in a new TV ad first aired in the state’s 1st congressional district on Tuesday, is a boost for Cunningham, showing that he could gain the bipartisan support election forecasters say he’ll need to retain his seat and overcome challenger state Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Daniel Island.
“I’m a Republican. I’ve never voted for a Democrat in my life,” Waters said in the ad. “But I voted for Joe, and I’ll do it again.”
The bulk of the ad focuses on the work Waters said Cunningham has done for veterans. South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District is home to several military installations and a sizable veteran population, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
In the ad, Waters said Cunningham has a lot of “moral courage” and that “Joe got help for Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange,” a cancer-causing herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War.
The ad also points to legislation that Cunningham co-sponsored that guaranteed pay for members of the U.S. Coast Guard during the federal government shutdown at the start of 2019 and a bill Cunningham sponsored that was signed into law in April to allow veterans to participate in VA tele-hearings from home, rather than a previously designated location.
“When it comes to helping our veterans, there’s no place for politics — only results,” Cunningham wrote in a tweet alongside the new ad. “I’ve worked hard to make sure the men and women who have worn the uniform get the care they deserve.”
“SC-01 ... is one of the most Republican districts that any Democrat holds,” Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball, told The State last week. The nonpartisan election analyst added that if Cunningham wants to hold onto his seat, he’ll need the “crossover support” of people who vote for both President Donald Trump and him in November.
Cunningham’s campaign reported last week that it raised more than $862,000 during the second quarter of 2020, bringing the Democrat’s total fundraising to nearly $4.4 million for this election cycle and his cash on hand to $3 million.
Additionally, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has earmarked $420,000 for ad buys in the Charleston-area, according to Politico.
Mace’s campaign reported to The State on Friday that it had raised $714,000 during the second quarter, when Mace emerged from a crowded Republican primary field as the nominee. The campaign did not report cash on hand.
This story was originally published July 14, 2020 at 12:28 PM.