South Carolina countryside businessman John Warren flexed its expanded political muscle in a big way this week, weighing (decisively) in a contentious legislative election to nominate the next judge in the second highest court in the state of Palmetto.
The vote – in which the candidate against Warren was absolutely defeated in his candidacy for a seat on the SC appeals court – dramatically raised the profile of the former governor candidate as he plots his next move on the state stage.
With Governor SC Henry McMaster Left out last fall due to the consistently uneven treatment of the coronavirus pandemic, Warren emerged as a potent political force in the campaign – helping to promote a republican defeat at the polls.
Now, he is exercising his newfound influence in the SC State Chamber … with his latest “flex” providing a stark contrast to McMaster’s continued political impotence (as well as the governor’s closeness to the defeated candidate).
To recap: SC circuit court judge DeAndrea Benjamin was eviscerated in her candidacy for the appeals court this week, despite the efforts of some “centrist” Republicans – and the mainstream media – to raise her candidacy.
Given the level of institutional and media support that Benjamin received, we were shocked by the margin of victory Judge of the Family Court of SC Jay Vinson Florence posted against her. Vinson received an impressive 94 votes to Benjamin’s 63 – an overwhelming victory that challenged the projections of a close race.
What happened? In a world, Warren …
The winner of the nomination for governor of the Republican Party in 2022 managed to convince republican lawmakers that electing the wife of an über-liberal politician – mayor of Columbia, SC Steve Benjamin – it was not a smart political move for them to take. Especially in light of Judge Benjamin’s prominent role in an ongoing controversy over judges who grant excessive leniency to violent criminals.
“Thank you to all state legislators who have had the backbone and the courage to take a stand against liberal activism and the status quo,” Warren wrote on his Facebook page. “When the GOP unites around conservative principles and we have strong leadership, there is nothing that our state cannot achieve!”
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“They saw the light,” said a lawmaker who opposed Benjamin’s candidacy from the beginning. “It doesn’t happen very close to her, but they saw the light.”
In fact, sources close to the Marine who became a millionaire indicated that he was just warming up – and had plans to attack the handful of Republican lawmakers who voted for Benjamin in the next election.
Meanwhile, the Republicans who supported Benjamin’s offer were very exposed. Main among them? Former President of SCGOP Karen Floyd – whose ineffective defense on behalf of the leftist judge drew mockery from Republican lawmakers.
“It was over long before that,” a Republican from upstate told us. “Now it is completely burned.”
But who did more to cost Benjamin the position of judge? Her husband …
As we reported today, Steve Benjamin – who is not running for re-election in 2021 – is accused of trying to arm lawmakers about this race. In fact, lawmakers told us before the vote that they saw a text message in which the mayor allegedly threatened the family members of a former Republican Party official.
That message “had several votes,” a Republican Lowcountry lawmaker told us.
This media continues to investigate these allegations …
In the meantime, Warren’s triumph is being contrasted with McMaster’s lack of involvement in the race – which is being linked to his former affiliation with Richard Quinn, a wretched political consultant who previously advised him and Benjamin.
Once the SCGOP “godfather”, Quinn was overthrown in 2018 by an influence-trafficking scandal that remains largely unsolved – specifically with regard to the special interests that pulled the strings of his political stable. Quinn is still facing perjury and obstruction of justice charges in connection with the scandal, which brought down five top Republican Party officials.
The 2022 implications of this judicial election are not limited to the primaries for governor of the Republican Party. As we noted in a recent post, Benjamin is listed among the top Democratic candidates for governor in 2,022 – meaning that he and Warren can fight a battle again in a general election two years from now.
Assuming that happens, several prominent state democrats in Palmetto made it clear that Warren now very much on your radar.
-FITSNews
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