Former US Senate candidate jumps into race for SC Democratic Party chair
A previous U.S. Senate candidate now is seeking to lead the South Carolina Democratic Party.
Catherine Fleming Bruce, 61, of Columbia, announced she is running to be chair of the state party and succeed outgoing Chairman Trav Robertson, who is not seeking reelection to fourth two-year term.
Bruce ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in 2022. The self-described political activist finished first in the June 14 primary with 34% of the vote in a three-woman race with Krystle Matthews and Angela Geter. However, Bruce lost the runoff to Matthews two weeks later.
Bruce runs Tnovsa Global Commons, which works towards historic preservation. She also works as the director of operations for the Richland County Democratic Party and served as a Biden delegate at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
“We really need to look at the direction of the party, and we need to have all of the voting delegates think very clearly about which way we want to go,” Bruce said. “The way that I see going is to have somebody who does their best to try to make sure that people believe in politics again. Right now that’s not the case. That’s why people don’t come out to vote.”
So far, two other candidates have announced bids to be the party’s chair: South Carolina Democratic Party Black Caucus Chairman Brandon Upson, who is running with a slate of three other candidates for the vice chair positions, and Christale Spain, a former state Democratic Party executive director.
The election this year for chair is expected to be in the spring at the state party’s convention.
Following Democratic losses in the State House in the last two elections and an 18-point loss in the 2022 gubernatorial race, Bruce said Democrats’ focus this year should be on municipal elections and how the party can be beneficial on the local level.
“It’s not just a matter of messaging,” Bruce said. “The relationships have to be right. People have to know that when they come out and they vote for somebody that they’re going to see some change.”
After state Sen. Mia McLeod’s exit from the Democratic Party in January — she criticized the state party for not doing enough to promote the Democratic primary for governor — Bruce said the party needs to listen to the criticisms brought up by McLeod and her allies.
“Everything they said might not be correct, but we have to listen as a first focus and not go into defense mode,” Bruce said.
