Although Biden is favored to win SC primary, state Democrats push voter turnout. Here’s why
Less than two months before South Carolina’s First in the Nation Democratic presidential primary, the state party is pushing to get out the vote, even though President Joe Biden is the favorite to win the Democratic nomination.
Sources with knowledge of the state party’s plans, shared exclusively with The State, said the six-figure investment includes hiring about 50 staffers.
Lindsey Green will be the state party’s get-out-the-vote director. Green previously served as Adair Ford Boroughs’ campaign manager when the now U.S. Attorney for South Carolina ran as a Democrat against Congressman Joe Wilson in 2020 in the 2nd Congressional District.
Green also ran Michelle Shain’s campaign in the Greenville mayoral race this year, which long-time Mayor Knox White won.
The party also plans to have six regional directors, 12 event coordinators, a college campus director and 30 get-out-the-vote fellows.
The voter turnout effort comes as South Carolina is set to lead off the Democratic presidential nomination contests. The Feb. 3 ballot includes Biden, U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and self-help author Marianne Williamson.
The Democratic National Committee chose the Palmetto State to go first as a nod to the state’s Black population, southern location, and inclusion of rural voters.
But the national party also said it would revisit the primary order every four years. Showing the state can successfully hold the primary contest is key to securing the opening slot in future cycles.
“There’s a lot at stake for us. We want to keep this spot for cycles to come, and to do that, we’re going to meet voters where they are, make sure they have a plan to vote on Feb. 3, and show how Democrats have delivered for them,” said Christale Spain, chairwoman of the South Carolina Democratic Party.
South Carolina also has an inexpensive media market and is relatively easy to travel to, allowing smaller campaigns on tight budgets a chance to compete.
Biden also lost the first three nominating contests in 2020 before winning in South Carolina, catapulting him to the Democratic nomination and eventually the White House.
As part of the party’s efforts to encourage people to vote in the Democratic primary, county parties are scheduled to hold volunteer kick-off events the first week of January. The state party is planning a bus tour around the state that will run from Jan. 13 through Feb. 2, with plans of inviting presidential candidates or their surrogates.
The party also plans to connect with voters within their communities and through phone calls, text messages and online outreach.
