SC Megathread 2020: Graham Crackers, Cunning-Ham Sandwiches and Duncan Donuts

[SnowLabrador]

I'm starting to really love Cunningham, I hope he hangs on.

[S019]

Harrison formed an explaratory committee

https://jaimeharrison.com

[wesmoorenerd]

Harrison formed an explaratory committee

https://jaimeharrison.com

It would take a truly perfect storm for a win here, but Harrison has a great opportunity to make inroads. He could be a Beto/Abrams type figure for SC.

[S019]

Harrison formed an explaratory committee

https://jaimeharrison.com

It would take a truly perfect storm for a win here, but Harrison has a great opportunity to make inroads. He could be a Beto/Abrams type figure for SC.

No it would take an even larger landslide than Obama 2008 to win here, this seat is Safe R, but if Democrats want to light money on fire here, like they did in Tennessee and North Dakota in 2018, instead of spending it in Colorado, Arizona, Michigan, New Hampshire, Georgia, and North Carolina, they can be my guest

[wesmoorenerd]

Harrison formed an explaratory committee

https://jaimeharrison.com

It would take a truly perfect storm for a win here, but Harrison has a great opportunity to make inroads. He could be a Beto/Abrams type figure for SC.

No it would take an even larger landslide than Obama 2008 to win here, this seat is Safe R, but if Democrats want to light money on fire here, like they did in Tennessee and North Dakota in 2018, instead of spending it in Colorado, Arizona, Michigan, New Hampshire, Georgia, and North Carolina, they can be my guest

What do you think a truly perfect storm means

[S019]

Harrison formed an explaratory committee

https://jaimeharrison.com

It would take a truly perfect storm for a win here, but Harrison has a great opportunity to make inroads. He could be a Beto/Abrams type figure for SC.

No it would take an even larger landslide than Obama 2008 to win here, this seat is Safe R, but if Democrats want to light money on fire here, like they did in Tennessee and North Dakota in 2018, instead of spending it in Colorado, Arizona, Michigan, New Hampshire, Georgia, and North Carolina, they can be my guest

What do you think a truly perfect storm means

Even if Trump causes the next Great Recession, he does not have an unpopular war weighing him down, and Mike Pence will not say that he cannot name a newspaper that he reads. Also there is no way that Trump would lose IN or ME-02. SC is not even a pipe dream, it is not happening, period.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Great news, hopefully Dems can win this seat, deapite SC conservative voting history

[SCNCmod]

What's up with Graham waiting until a positive outcome from the Mueller Report, before he releases the fact that he was the one that told McCain to turn in the dossier to the FBI (at a time when Graham was hugely anti-Trump).

Granted, it should have been given to the FBI- but it shows a big weakness of character on Graham's part, to wait until a good outcome to have the courage to release this fact... and may explain why Graham has so erratically been sucking up to Trump the past year.

Too bad there are no good prospects regarding a Dem in SC to challenge Graham.  Smith turned out to be a huge disappoint by running an completely awful, lack luster campaign for Governor.  The only Dem that would have a shot would be a celebrity candidate... although I'm not sure which celebrities call SC home, that could be persuaded to get into the race?

[Progressive Pessimist]

What's up with Graham waiting until a positive outcome from the Mueller Report, before he releases the fact that he was the one that told McCain to turn in the dossier to the FBI (at a time when Graham was hugely anti-Trump).

Granted, it should have been given to the FBI- but it shows a big weakness of character on Graham's part, to wait until a good outcome to have the courage to release this fact... and may explain why Graham has so erratically been sucking up to Trump the past year.

Too bad there are no good prospects regarding a Dem in SC to challenge Graham.  Smith turned out to be a huge disappoint by running an completely awful, lack luster campaign for Governor.  The only Dem that would have a shot would be a celebrity candidate... although I'm not sure which celebrities call SC home, that could be persuaded to get into the race?

Because he is a pathetic hack.

[Suburbia]

Graham wins reelection in 2020

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Jaime Harrison has raised over $230,000 for his senate run:

https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/likely-democratic-challenger-to-lindsey-graham-raises-in-first-weeks/article_dcb5002c-5592-11e9-a866-2f12f4cc075f.html


This also states that Cunningham has already raised over 600,000 for re-election.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

WHO WILL TAKE ON JOE CUNNINGHAM?

A recent article in The State has raised a possible challenger that was not on my radar: State Rep. Nancy Mace.

She was elected in a Special election in 2017. She has a strong background, being the first woman to graduate from The Citadel, she ran against Lindsay Graham in 2014, and she's a self-branded conservative firebrand.

However, she has some issues the Republican base may not like. She recently spoke out about her experience as a sexual assault victim, and advocated for exceptions for rape and incest in SC's abortion bill. This has gotten her some enemies, and there are possible concerns she will be primaried out of her seat, which may be pushing her to run.

Catherine Templeton has given some strong support to the idea of Mace running, which means I'm crossing her off my list of potential competitors should Mace run.

In other news, Arrington doesn't seem likely to run either, taking a job at the Department of Defense.

[Dr. Arch]

Creative Title: In the Palm of your Hand?

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Harrison finally makes his campaign official:

https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article230902479.html

After months of exploring a bid to challenge Republican incumbent Lindsey Graham in the 2020 election, former S.C. Democratic Party chairman Jaime Harrison has made it official.

Harrison released a three-minute video Wednesday morning saying he’s officially running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Graham since 2003.

“All (Graham) cares about is pandering to try to get the attention of the president, and that’s not why we sent him to Washington, D.C.,” Harrison told The State in an interview Wednesday.

Defeating Graham, who has amassed more than $4.6 million, will be an uphill fight in conservative South Carolina, where a Democrat has not been elected to statewide office since 2006 and has not sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in more than two decades.

[smoltchanov]

Harrison finally makes his campaign official:

https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article230902479.html

After months of exploring a bid to challenge Republican incumbent Lindsey Graham in the 2020 election, former S.C. Democratic Party chairman Jaime Harrison has made it official.

Harrison released a three-minute video Wednesday morning saying he’s officially running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Graham since 2003.

“All (Graham) cares about is pandering to try to get the attention of the president, and that’s not why we sent him to Washington, D.C.,” Harrison told The State in an interview Wednesday.

Defeating Graham, who has amassed more than $4.6 million, will be an uphill fight in conservative South Carolina, where a Democrat has not been elected to statewide office since 2006 and has not sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in more than two decades.

Black and Ellison supporter in Deep South state? I doubt about his chances...

[Rookie Yinzer]

I don't pay much attention to SC demographics and politics but I really like Jaime. What percentage of the white vote would make this competitive? (Long shot I know)

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Cunningham is probably gonna lose.

[SnowLabrador]

Cunningham is probably gonna lose.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

https://abcnews4.com/news/election/south-carolina-getting-new-voting-machines-with-paper-ballot

SC is getting new voting machines that print out paper ballots for you to fill out. A good step IMO.

The company says the new machines will allow voters to fill out their ballot on a touchscreen. Then, the machine will print a paper ballot which the voter will place into a scanner providing a paper trail of every vote.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Cunningham is raising quite a lot for re-election:

SC Democrat Joe Cunningham has a target on his back for 2020, and a lot of cash

Newly filed campaign finance reports show the vulnerable freshman Democrat raised more than $615,000 from April through June for his re-election bid — topping fundraising from all other U.S. House candidates in South Carolina.

Meanwhile, Republicans vying for the seat are gearing up their fundraising efforts for what is expected to be a competitive GOP primary and expensive general election.

And none of the money came from corporate political action committees, his campaign boasted.

More than half of the money Cunningham raised in the second quarter of 2019 was in-state cash. And more than $140,000 was raised from fellow attorneys, mainly in the Charleston and Columbia areas.

All told, Cunningham’s campaign raised $1.3 million from more than 2,500 donors since he pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the 2018 election, reclaiming a seat that had been held by Republicans since 1981. He spent about $450,000 on campaign staff, travel, consulting services and fundraising, leaving him with more than $980,000 cash on hand, his report shows.

Cunningham’s latest numbers are encouraging, but he will need to continue the fundraising momentum in what’s expected to become a costly race, said College of Charleston political science professor Gibbs Knotts.

“All of the eyes of South Carolina and the nation will be on this bellwether district that will determine who is in control in the U.S. House,” Knotts said.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Something else that this article shows is that the main D candidate in SC-02, Adair Ford Boroughs, has raised more money, and has more cash on hand, than incumbent Rep. Joe Wilson.

2ND QUARTER FUNDRAISING IN OTHER SC CONGRESSIONAL RACES
2nd District

U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R) — Raised: $109,824; Spent: $136,061; Cash on hand: $124,021

Adair Ford Boroughs (D) — Raised: $245,669; Spent: $99,385; Cash on hand: $146,283

Boroughs is a former teacher and clerked for United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel, working on the United States vs Dylann Roof case. I see her as a pretty strong candidate, though very likely not enough to beat Wilson.

[NeverAgainsSock]

though very likely not enough to beat Wilson.

You lie!

(jk) I look forward to seeing how her campaign progresses with these numbers.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Cunningham’s signature bill to ban offshore drilling passed.

https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/house-passes-sc-rep-joe-cunningham-s-bill-to-ban/article_3d3dad0a-d3e1-11e9-b56b-07d1a8bd81e3.html

While the measure faces long odds in the Republican-controlled Senate, it was seen as a legislative success for its author, first-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham of Charleston.

The bipartisan Coastal Marine and Economies Protection Act calls for a permanent and complete moratorium on offshore drilling along the nation’s eastern and western coasts.

An amendment added to the bill by U.S. Rep. Andy Levin, D-Michigan, would extend the ban to seismic testing, as well.

“This isn’t a partisan issue,” Cunningham said of offshore drilling. “This bill is good for business and it’s good for the environment. If folks want to call themselves ‘good conservatives’ then you have to be a good conservative on the environment, too.”

The motion to recommit failed and the bill passed along mostly party lines on a 238-189 vote. Twelve Republicans voted in its favor.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Gonna give some ratings on the races, I'll elaborate on certain ones if you want me to.

SC-01: TILT D
D Primary: Safe Cunningham

Joe Cunningham, Incumbent Representative

R Primary: Likely Mace

Nancy Mace, State Represenative
Mike Covert: Beaufort County Councilman
Kathy Landing: Mount Pleasant Councilwoman
Chris Cox: Founder of Bikers for Trump

SC-02: VERY LIKELY R
D Primary: Likely Boroughs

Adair Boroughs: Attorney
Lawrence Nathaniel: Activist

R Primary: Safe Wilson

SC-03: SAFE R

No filings yet, so impossible to say. Both my parents have declined. My dad's running for County Soil and Water conservation board, and my mom's possibly running for School Board.

SC-04: SAFE R

R Primary: Lean/Likely Timmons
William Timmons: Incumbent Rep.

No other filings yet, but it's possible a strong challenger emerges on the R side. No idea on the D side.

SC-05: VERY LIKELY R

No filings yet.

SC-06: SAFE D

D Primary: Safe Clyburn
Jim Clyburn: House Majority Whip, Incumbent Rep.

No filings otherwise.

SC-07:SAFE R

No filings yet.


SC-SEN: VERY LIKELY R

R Primary: Safe Graham

Lindsay Graham: Incumbent Senator
Peggy Kandles: Art Teacher
Dwayne Buckner: Attorney
Joe Reynolds: Chief Engineer in the Merchant Marine
Michael LaPierre: Businessman

D Primary: Very Likely Harrison

Jaime Harrison: Fmr. SC Dem Party Chair
Gloria Bromell Tinubu: Fmr. Georgia State Rep.
William Stone: Legal researcher, Atlas user (WilliamStone1776)
Justin Wooton: Activist
Matthew Knights:

[Rookie Yinzer]

Will Jamie Harrison win Darlington and Florence counties?