‘He’s not done a good job.’ Moe Brown makes final push against Norman in SC 5th District
A woman in a royal blue T-shirt, decorated with an “I Voted” sticker, stared at former USC football player Moe Brown as he stood in the Dollar General parking lot on Cestrian Drive in Chester Tuesday. He was in a light blue dress shirt and a gray jacket. She quietly approached him, smiling behind her black mask.
“Can I get a picture with you?” she asked.
He turned around, smiled and got ready to pose. “Absolutely,” he said.
She didn’t want a picture with Brown because of his days as a football star. She wanted a picture with him because he’s on the 2020 ballot, running for Congress.
Brown, who is facing U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman for South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District seat, was standing among a 40-person crowd at an early voting rally, coordinated by the South Carolina Democratic Party. Members of the party are traveling this week on a statewide tour called “All In For SC.”
Brown had finished speaking to the crowd and was listening to S.C. Rep. John King, who is running for reelection, encouraging people to get to the polls.
“I always remember about 20-some years ago when I first ran for office, I ran for the Chester City Council,” King said. “And it was the people of Chester who believed in me, and so I’m asking you all to believe in two of my dear friends who are running. That’s Moe Brown and (U.S. Senate candidate) Jaime Harrison.”
The crowd erupted with claps. A photo of Harrison, who is running against U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, was printed on the side of the tour bus.
A few minutes later, two other women in the crowd asked for a picture with Brown.
Despite announcing his first-time candidacy against an influential Republican incumbent a month before the pandemic was in full swing, Brown said he feels “good” about his race for the very reason many in the crowd Tuesday wanted a picture with him — he’s approachable.
“When it comes to Moe Brown and Ralph Norman, there’s a lot of indecision because he has not done a good job of getting out to the district and letting people know that he’s working for them, so they really do not know who he is,” Brown told The Herald. “When they look into it, there’s a stark contrast between his leadership and my leadership.”
‘There’s time’
Although he’s a first-time candidate, Brown has a proven record in the world of South Carolina politics. He worked at the state Commerce Department under then-Gov. Nikki Haley. He also landed key Democratic endorsements from U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn and former presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg.
Part of his team’s strategy has been to target the “independent Republican voter who feels disenfranchised with their party,” and he said it’s proven successful.
“It’s been difficult because of the pandemic and we’ve been taking it very seriously, but folks who have seen the bricks that we’ve laid over this campaign — once they see them — have come my way, so I’m feeling good about our chances,” Brown told The Herald.
And he’s working until the last minute to capture every vote, Brown said. He will campaign in Rock Hill Wednesday.
“There’s time,” he said. “All our polling has shown there’s a huge undecided population when it comes to both Norman and myself — partially because he hasn’t been in the district.”
Norman, who has also been campaigning across the state this week, shared a different opinion on his race against Brown Monday.
“There’s no undecided in this race — both from a national standpoint and a local one,” Norman told The Herald on a campaign stop Monday in Rock Hill. “We’ve got two different opposing philosophies and in my mind, there’s no undecided voters.”
‘I love that young man’
After Brown spoke to the crowd, S.C. Rep. Annie McDaniel, who is running for reelection, took the microphone.
“I’m not soft-spoken like Moe,” she shouted at the crowd. “I love that young man. I love the fact he stepped up. He didn’t tell y’all all the great stuff about him.”
She elaborated on Brown’s experience with the Department of Commerce, suggesting he will bring more business to Chester County and the 5th District. She spent some speaking time pushing her campaign, but she encouraged the crowd to vote for Brown.
“So, we’re going to send Ralph Norman on home,” she said.
A man in the crowd shouted: “Yes! Yes! Yes!” He got louder with each shout.
“We’re going to send Lindsey Graham on home,” McDaniel continued. “We’re going to vote Democrat. We’re going to turn this state blue.”
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” he shouted.
Where to vote absentee?
Chester County
Chester County residents can vote in person and drop off absentee by-mail ballots at the Chester County elections office, 109 Ella St. in Chester.
Lancaster County
Lancaster County residents can vote in person and drop off absentee by-mail ballots at the Lancaster County elections office, 101 N. Main St. in Lancaster.
York County
York County resident can vote in person and drop off absentee by-mail ballots at the York County elections office at 6 S. Congress St. in York.
The Fort Mill extension office is open at the Fort Mill Community Center, 1011 Talbot St.
The Rock Hill office is open at the Rock Hill Operations Office, 757 S. Anderson Road.
This story was originally published October 28, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "‘He’s not done a good job.’ Moe Brown makes final push against Norman in SC 5th District."
