Here’s what Democrats had to say about South Carolina during first 2020 debates
South Carolina was on stage Wednesday and Thursday nights as Democratic hopefuls tussled during the first presidential debate of the year.
During the two-night event hosted by MSNBC, several 2020 contenders mentioned the Palmetto State, referencing U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s reelection campaign to the shooting at Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church and more.
U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey kicked off the South Carolina talks Wednesday night when he called for the eventual Democratic nominee to campaign in states where Republicans in Congress have challengers.
“Whoever is our nominee needs to campaign in places like South Carolina because we can elect Jaime Harrison,” Booker said, referring to the S.C. Democrat currently running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Graham. “This is about getting us back to having 50 votes in the Senate.”
Harrison, a member of the Democratic National Committee and the former S.C. Democratic Party chairman, iis well connected in Washington and in state politics and has garnered a host of high-profile Democratic endorsements, setting him up as the favored candidate by members of his party.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio also took shots at Graham, among other Republicans.
“And if you want to take Lindsey Graham out, you (have) got to have a blue collar party that can go into the textile communities in South Carolina,” Ryan said. “All I’m saying is here, if we don’t address that fundamental problem with our connections to workers, white, black, brown, gay, straight – working class people – none of this is going to get done.”
Graham, who was watching the debate, tweeted about the Democrats, but did not address their attacks on him. After President Donald Trump tweeted that the event was “boring,” Graham responded.
“Mr. President, I respectfully disagree,” Graham tweeted. “To associate this crowd with BORING is an unfair attack on BORING people. BORING would be a step up!”
Other candidates took time to reference their trips to South Carolina. Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro said during a trip to Charleston, he was thinking about Dylan Roof, the man who shot nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church before being arrested by police.
“He was apprehended by police without incident,” Castro said. “What about Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, LaQuan McDonald, Sandra Bland, Pamela Turner, Antonio Arce?”
This wasn’t the first time that Castro used Roof’s example to question police shootings of unarmed people of color, and he has issued a policy for dealing with aggressive policing. The policy includes combating racial discrimination by law enforcement officers and holding police accountable.
While Wednesday night’s debate featured South Carolina on several occasions, the much awaited Thursday night debate — with front runners like former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Kamala Harris and Sen. Bernie Sanders — saw no mentions of the Palmetto State.
This story was originally published June 27, 2019 at 11:00 PM.
