Democrats fall short of goals in S.C. election
Monday, November 10, 2008THE ISSUE: Democrats in S.C.
OUR OPINION: A lot more voters, but GOP numbers grow in proportion
Democrats retained their hold on The T&D Region offices in Tuesday’s voting, but the hopes of the weeks before the election were not realized statewide.
Most notably, Democrats who were convinced the national polling was wrong and that Barack Obama would carry the day in the Palmetto State fell way short. Even with Democrats in control of the White Houes and both Houses of Congress – and 6th District Congressman James Clyburn holding the third-ranking position in the House – Republicans hold sway in this state.
GOP nominee John McCain got 54 percent of the vote in South Carolina compared to Obama’s 45 percent – a loss that leaves Democratic strategists shaking their heads about how to overcome the GOP here.
They had been looking to the Obama candidacy to energize African-Americans as it did during the primary season.
According to exit polling for The Associated Press by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International, nearly all black voters in South Carolina cast their ballots for Obama, surpassing their support for previous Democratic presidential candidates. But the black vote in South Carolina, as a proportion of the overall vote, was similar to previous elections.
With more than 70 percent of registered voters turning out, the results mean white voters were motivated in the 2008 election here, too. In the end, only about a third of them supported Obama.
The polling offers a profile of them:
• More than two-thirds earn more than $50,000 a year.
• Fewer than one in five are considered highly educated, meaning they are educated beyond one college degree.
• One in five said race was a factor in their decision, compared with about a third of McCain’s voters.
• They did not vote a straight Democratic ticket, with more than a quarter backing GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Bottom line from the exit polling results and as reported by Seanna Adcox of The AP in Columbia:
“Overall, white voters’ support for Obama on Tuesday represented no significant change from their support for Democrats in the last four presidential contests in South Carolina.”
The political landscape in the state has been theoretically left little changed by an election that is being called landmark for the country, even to the point of the state defying the national trend of under-30s supporting Obama 2-to-1. In South Carolina, just over half of young people supported Obama.
And since most of Obama’s support here came from those ages 30-64, the Palmetto State political mountain remains a steep one for the Democrats to climb for the foreseeable future.
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msjones wrote on Nov 17, 2008 9:32 PM:
rump wrote on Nov 17, 2008 4:48 PM:
And By the way Palin was one of the few HONEST insights to the issues. Also she showed what an idiot Joe Biden was(he made Dan Quayle look like a Rhodes scholar). She was the reason the Democrats hid him the last two weeks of the campaign. "
wagreen1 wrote on Nov 17, 2008 4:42 PM:
confisus_sum wrote on Nov 17, 2008 3:44 PM:
confisus_sum wrote on Nov 17, 2008 2:16 PM:
wagreen1 wrote on Nov 17, 2008 1:41 PM:
agape wrote on Nov 17, 2008 10:13 AM:
His election has changed the view and image of our country. Because of this war and the previous administration our image has been tarnished.
To call Obama a Socialist is down right ignorant. Its interesting how a PERSON OF COLOR is always viewed with suspicion and doubt. Its as if a person of color has to prove their Worth to the majority.
It shows that we as Americans... black, white, hispanic, asian have a lot healing. growing, and learning to do.
We make assumptions based on fear and lack of exposure to diversity.
I challenge those of you who are making these statements that are Anti-Obama to reach out to someone who make not look like you, or speak the same lanuage as you, to and ask questions about there culture, ideas, and beliefs ---you might be plesantly surprise to find that you have more in common than not. Lets work together and SUPPORT this BRILLANT NEW PRESIDENT BARRACK OBAMA! "
confisus_sum wrote on Nov 15, 2008 8:37 AM:
wagreen1 wrote on Nov 14, 2008 2:31 PM:
confisus_sum wrote on Nov 14, 2008 11:50 AM:
wagreen1 wrote on Nov 13, 2008 1:35 PM:
rbrtsndr912 wrote on Nov 13, 2008 10:19 AM:
There is a vast difference between a Liberal and a Conservative...we are all Americans and we are for the most part moderates that either lean toward either left or right and very few are far left or right....but that is what we are. Just because you wish it to be does not make it so.
As a Moderate Conservative we have to make our position better known and have everyone understand why we believe what we believe. Our job really isnt't to talk you into our position, it's to fully define our position so that you understand, then make your own decision. "
GRATEFUL wrote on Nov 11, 2008 4:17 PM:
rbrtsndr912 wrote on Nov 11, 2008 10:26 AM: