How Clyburn’s endorsement for Biden gives the ex-VP a boost heading into SC primary
At Toliver’s Mane Event barbershop, it’s no mistake that an autographed poster hangs on the wall of U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, a Columbia Democrat, talking with President Barack Obama.
“You’re talking about the most influential brown person in the state of South Carolina,” co-owner Chris Toliver, 49, said Thursday of Clyburn, the longtime S.C. congressman, the highest-ranking African American in Congress and the third-ranking Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
So what does it mean that Clyburn publicly endorsed Joe Biden for president three days before South Carolina Democrats head to the polls to pick their preferred nominee?
“It’s everything,” Toliver, an African American, told The State. “We really do value what Mr. Clyburn says as far as picking Joe Biden. As enthusiastic as we are behind Mr. Biden, Mr. Clyburn has sent him to another level. We know Congressman Clyburn has done a lot as far as his due diligence by making this decision.”
Staring down South Carolina’s Democratic presidential primary on Saturday with an edge over his opponents, Biden now has a powerful advocate in his corner, political observers say. Clyburn is arguably the heavyweight of Democratic endorsements in South Carolina — a backing that could help tip the scales for the former vice president who has seen his lead over Bernie Sanders narrow in recent polls of likely Democratic voters.
Clyburn’s backing is a Hail Mary of sorts for the former vice president, who has yet to win an early voting contest. It could help convince undecided voters, especially older ones expected to vote in high numbers Saturday, to support Biden, giving him some momentum heading into next week. On Tuesday, 14 states will hold nominating contests in what is known as Super Tuesday when about a third of the delegates to the national convention are up for grabs.
One of those undecided voters may be James Arrington, 83, of Orangeburg, who chairs the Family Health Centers’ board.
Clyburn has “quite a record. He’s quite well respected and I would think that anybody that he would go and support would be a big plus for them,” said Arrington, who attended a rural health town hall in Orangeburg for Steyer on Thursday.
Though Arrington said he has not made up his mind on who he’ll vote for in the primary, Arrington said he’s thinking about Biden.
“Certainly, yes, that (Clyburn’s endorsement) would definitely be part of the consideration of who I decide to support,” Arrington said.
Biden’s slip in the polls over the last two months has induced some anxiety for some of Biden’s backers, growing increasingly concerned over whether Biden can pull off a win in South Carolina after spending more time and resources aggressively competing in Iowa and New Hampshire.
It’s why, political observers have noted, Biden has only recently gone after Tom Steyer, a billionaire and former hedge fund manager out of California. Steyer’s personal wealth and investment in his own campaign has allowed him to blanket the state in advertising dollars to boost his name ID.
Biden’s nod from Clyburn could help stem any rising Steyer tide.
“A lot of Biden’s dip in the polls in the past few weeks have been because of Steyer’s surge,” said Jordan Ragusa, a political scientist at the College of Charleston. Ragusa, who co-wrote a book on South Carolina’s role in presidential primaries with fellow CofC political scientist Gibbs Knotts, added, “I’ve made the case, (Steyer’s) the real deal here. People are too quick to dismiss him as a billionaire with too much money to spend.
“But Steyer talks about race and social justice. He’s the only candidate talking about reparations. He talks about the importance of HBCUs (historically black universities) and he’s got the solid ground game in place. A Clyburn endorsement neutralizes a lot of that Steyer surge.”
Robin Wright, an Orangeburg area high school social studies teacher said Thursday she thinks Steyer’s path is rocky to a South Carolina win.
But that and the potential Clyburn endorsement did not weigh on Wright, 46 — who was considering Pete Buttigieg, Steyer and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren. She settled on Steyer who she voted for in an absentee ballot, she said.
“I appreciate his message,” Wright said. “I believe he is very sincere, and a lot of the issues that he’s bringing up on his platform are issues that I’m concerned about — the environment, term limits. I like the idea that he is not part of the establishment.”
Even though it didn’t change her mind, Wright said the Clyburn endorsement will have a big impact on Saturday’s results.
“Clyburn is kind of one of our stalwarts,” Wright said. “He’s one of those Democrats that we look to for guidance, to see where we’re going as a party, and so I do believe that makes a difference, that he did come out and support (former) Vice President Biden.”
For Lazarius Tinsley, 24, of Spartanburg, who attended Sanders’ Spartanburg rally late Thursday, Clyburn’s endorsement does add some additional consideration.
“It gives a point to Biden but at the same time I just got to see where everybody is coming from,” said Tinsley, who recently graduated from Limestone college who works at a car dealership. “You have to get all aspects before you put someone out there as your favorite.”
The endorsement also is giving Anneliesa Finch, 54, of Spartanburg, who also attended Sanders’ rally, another factor to think about.
“That means a lot to me,” said Finch, who works at Wofford College, of Clyburn’s endorsement. “A lot of people are saying things that sound wonderful, ‘We’re going to do this, we’re going to do that.’ What I know and understand is the president can’t do it by himself or herself. So it’s a matter of who’s going to get stuff done through the legislators. I don’t know if Bernie is going to be able to do that. I think Biden might be a little more successful, but the problem is, who.”
Reporter Joseph Bustos contributed to this report.
This story was originally published February 28, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
