I think one of Columbia’s own could well emerge as the Democratic nominee for governor next year – but not Mayor Steve Benjamin.
Instead, I see a path for state senator Mia McLeod.
While this prediction may come as a surprise to many, McLeod seems to want more than Benjamin (who I think is more interested in a federal position and / or appointment) or other potential Democratic candidates.
And that can be important, as voters – especially primary voters – want to support someone they think is in it to beat them for their party.
As for others whose names are being released and promoted, it is difficult to see how two incumbents who were unable to occupy the seats they had in the 2020 elections (former congressman Joe Cunningham and former state deputy Mandy Powers Norrell) went from these defeats to be the Democratic candidate for governor in 2022.
Is it good looking for Democrats?
Although there are several other potential Democratic candidates, McLeod is more experienced than most and as well known as anyone. I think she may be the only one to leave the field.
The last two Democratic nominees for governor, Vincent Sheheen and James Smith, were excellent guys and seasoned politicians with good public service backgrounds. But during their campaigns, neither showed the fire in the gut necessary to succeed in a state where his party last won the governor race in the previous century, Jim Hodges, in 1998.
To have a chance in next year’s governor race, Democrats need a candidate who will take the battle aggressively against his opponent, not just politely offer position papers and political platitudes.
Senator Mia McLeod enters.
Whether you agree with McLeod or not (and I have done both in this column over the years), anyone who follows state and local politics knows that he is strong in his views and is not ashamed to express them. She is also a good public speaker, as well as an energetic and photogenic candidate.
Did you see her give a Democratic Party response to Governor Henry McMaster’s state of the state speech a few weeks ago? This is not a woman who is afraid to mix things up. She challenged the governor directly and repeatedly on a variety of issues, but she did so without being rude or unpleasant.
Upon hearing it, I felt that McLeod was not giving his party’s response to the state of the state, but making his first speech in the 2022 race for governor.
And if that’s the case, I think that could also be a significant factor: McLeod is a black woman at a time when black policies are on the rise.
Just as Kamala Harris became the country’s first woman and the first African American (and Asian American) to be elected vice president, there is a similar story to be made in South Carolina.
No, Mia McLeod could not be South Carolina’s first governor, as Nikki Haley has walked this path and deserves all the credit for it. Likewise, Haley made history as the first person of Indian descent to rule.
In addition, those of us of a certain age will remember that Nancy Stevenson shook the state in 1978, when she was elected vice governor, the first woman to hold a state position in South Carolina.
As for the general election, make no mistake: McLeod would be the underdog against McMaster, who won four state campaigns.
But if nominated, McLeod would have the chance to be the first African American and the first African American to serve as South Carolina’s governor. This would be truly historic, and voters are often thrilled to be part of the story.
Roll it all together and this is the way I see Senator Mia McLeod becoming the Democratic nominee for governor next year.
Fisher is president of Fisher Communications, a publicity and public relations firm at Columbia. He is active in local issues involving the arts, conservation, business and politics.