South Carolina has not voted for a Democrat since Jimmy Carter.

[Bonobo]

So forgive me if I am not impressed with the idea that Biden as a stronghold there.

We will not win SC no matter who our candidate is.

[TwilightZone]

1. Discounting Democrats because you don't like where they live is misguided.

In a primary, all delegates count. Even the ones you summarily dismiss because of where they live.

Down-ticket races are also a consideration in red states. Ever hear of Doug Jones?

We also need to make gains in state legislatures. That's a primary focus in Texas, another state we also likely won't win in November. Are you saying we shouldn't bother trying?

[obamanut2012]

3. Especially cringey since SC has so many Black Dem voters

[TexasTowelie]

9. +1

I can't believe that a Democrat would resort to this fallacy.

[PTWB]

21. Many on this forum are constantly downplaying Pete and Bernie's performances in Iowa and NH

Precisely because of where they live.

[TwilightZone]

22. True, and I don't agree with that, either.

I do think that NH/IA are overblown in their importance (and have been for a long time), but that doesn't mean that they're not important at all. They should be as important as any other states with a similar number of delegates.

[bottomofthehill]

35. There are over 5 million people in SC

More than NH and Iowa combined and plenty of them are Democrats and have a right to be heard from.

[obamanut2012]

2. The same narrative as in 2016 against Hillary

And, I'll say what I said then: So what? And, so you are discounting the importance of Black voters -- nice job! Very progressive of you!

By that logic, if Sanders wins SC, it doesn't make a damned bit of difference for him either.

[berksdem]

32. +1!

[Vogon_Glory]

4. You're forgiven. But South Carolina is ethnographically

closer to other states like North Carolina and Georgia that Democrats should try to win if we Democrats wish to oust Donnie this November.

Bernie-philes need to remember that while the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary might be very representative of Club Pachyderm’s (aka the Republican Party’s) demographics (IE very white), it’s not so representative of the voter coalitions that Democratic nominees need to build if they want to win.

[uponit7771]

10. +1, IA and NH had 4 neighbor candidates running this year

[Agschmid]

5. Yeah you are right, let's just ignore what the SC democratic electorate thinks.

That makes so much sense.

[LexVegas]

6. This narrative again? Minimizing African American votes worked so well for Sanders in '16.

[TexasTowelie]

11. +1

[NurseJackie]

7. The nervousness and anxiety of the BS campaign is ever so clear.

I'm glad.

[TexasTowelie]

12. It smacks of desperation.

Talk of unity is ridiculous when someone is willing to dismiss over ten states from consideration in the voting process. The poll numbers must be horrible for Bernie.

When is the last time that Bernie visited a southern state other than for the debates in Atlanta and Houston?

[NurseJackie]

13. I hope nobody uses the phrase "Confederate States" again.

[jberryhill]

27. But you just did

[NurseJackie]

28. Haaaaaa!

[cwydro]

46. Sure is.

Obviously so.

[HarlanPepper]

50. So is the lack of understanding of how primaries work

That is also becoming clear.

[uponit7771]

8. In the SC democratic primaries SC votes for republicans?! 🙄

[greenjar_01]

14. The South Carolina primary is the first shot that a large population of African American Democrats

has to shape the election.

Dismissing it so cavalierly is really not a good look.

[mcar]

15. This silly argument again? So, only blue states should apply?

South Carolina has Democrats who have the right to have a say in selecting the party's nominee. The overall state's political makeup is completely irrelevant.

Sen. Sanders and his supporters tried this strategy before - and it failed miserably. Dis southern Democrats at your guy's peril.

[jcmaine72]

16. Lamentably true.

It'll certainly be interesting to see how much Joe wins (If he wins, that is. Mayor Pete is looking awfully strong right now) the state by. NH was considered a Bernie stronghold and he won it by a narrow margin. Many here are dismissing that victory out of hand simply because it was a tight finish. It certainly makes one wonder.

If Joe does win SC, and it's by less than the margin predicted, I wonder if those same people who are currently disparaging Bernie's victory in NH will be equally dismissive of Joe's victory? Ya know....for consistency's sake, and all that.

[brooklynite]

20. I will...

...and I'll acknowledge weakness on Pete's part if that's what happens. I don't let my personal biases distract me from reality.

[TwilightZone]

30. Some are downplaying Sanders' win in NH because it should have been much larger.

He underperformed by about six points vs. the polls and it was much closer than most anticipated. Based on his prior performance and Warren's showing, he probably should have won handily.

Sure, it's a win, but it also introduces some doubt about the perceived strength being factored into predictions by 538, etc.

As for your question about SC, if Biden doesn't win by a large margin, it's pretty much guaranteed that similar questions will be asked. They're already being asked and it hasn't even happened yet.

[Demsrule86]

54. Well he is froma neighboring state...of course he should have done better. It bodes ill for him IMHO

[treestar]

17. That does not matter in the primaries

They have a say in who the Democratic nominee. The Democrats there.

[brooklynite]

18. Downplaying results already?

[MineralMan]

19. South Carolina and other red states still have Democratic primaries.

They all send delegates to the Democratic Convention. Democrats who live in red states still have representation in the selection of the Democratic nominee.

This is primary election season, not the general election campaign. All Democrats get to participate, not just the ones in blue states.

It is the Democratic Party, not the Blue State Party.

[still_one]

34. Well said MM

[ismnotwasm]

23. Hey, haven't seen you in a while.

I think all the states are important, that Bernie Sanders has a decent shot, it’s just not a done deal, and that Biden certainly has a pathway to recovery. In a Democratic primary, we are not electing Republicans, we are electing Democrats soooo....there is that.

I mean..damn.

[still_one]

36. Oh, that's why they call in the Democratic Primary...... Thanks!!!

[ismnotwasm]

41. Yes indeed

Apparently it needed to be said.

[still_one]

42. ..........................

[tritsofme]

24. Yea, because who cares about those pesky black people anyway?

Great message!

[Peacetrain]

40. this this this..

we have had two small white states vote.. a caucus and a primary.. and now we are about to go into 2 states with a much more diverse population.. a caucus and a primary.. but all of the sudden people are supposed to drop out of the race and not even give the 2 more diverse states a chance at the vote. I am gobsmacked by all the threads I am seeing today.. just gobsmacked

[k2qb3]

25. I'm in SC...

It's going to be much closer than people think, polling is lagging events.

May even be a four or five way split with no clear winner.

Steyer is a very one-note candidate but that note is aimed right at Joe's heart in SC.

The Bernie contingent is strong here too. Being blue in a Bible belt red state makes people activists.

[still_one]

33. I suspect Styer is hurting Sanders and Warren also

[k2qb3]

52. I don't think so.

I've seen more ads (well, the same ads over and over and over) for Steyer than all the other candidates put together and all of them, everything he's done in SC, is aimed squarely at the black vote, to the detriment of his support with anyone else.

It's a reparations campaign. Whatever else he stands for hardly matters, nobody knows despite his market saturation.

[TwilightZone]

26. A Democrat hasn't won Texas since 1976. Is Bernie going to skip it?

Based on your logic, he shouldn't bother with it.

[W_HAMILTON]

29. It balances out the lily white demographics of Iowa and New Hampshire.

Individually, I don't think any of the first four states mean much, but taken together as a group, they represent a decent demographic mix and geographic diversity.

[still_one]

31. Sounds like a good plan. Dis Democrats in red states, dis so-called "centrist Democrats", dis the

"DNC", boo candidates you are competing against, etc. etc. etc.

Now let's see who is left...…….

[brush]

37. Seriously? We're talking about the Democratic primary not the GE.

And Iowa is no Democratic stronghold either so what's your point again?

[DanTex]

38. Not so sure it's still a Biden stronghold. His numbers are dropping, could be close.

[LanternWaste]

45. What is the measure?

It begs the question... what is the standard of "stronghold in this context, and on what objective measure is that standard predicated on?

(Crap... so sorry. My mistake. I realized after typing that a lot of people believe that asking for objective data to support a premise is "an attack!!!&quot

[Demsrule86]

55. The wishful thinking scale where Sanders is surging I tell ya with AA voters. (not really)

[honest.abe]

39. So good Democrats in Red states don't count??

[LanternWaste]

43. Has SC voted for a democratic winner in the democratic primaries since Carter?

'cause that's what's relevant in the here and now.

So forgive me if I am not impressed by your failure to support a premise with relevant evidence. Again.



Maybe it's time to get all worked up and frustrated over a simple PSA... as that seems much more your wheelhouse.

[BlueIdaho]

44. If that's the measure my home state would never have a Democratic caucus or primary.

Red State Democrats need your support.

[The_Counsel]

47. Iowa Has Not Voted for a Democrat Since Barack Obama

What, exactly, is the point here?

Don't try to win a primary because you don't expect to carry it in the general?

Sounds kinda kooky to me. Good thing Obama didn't think that way in '08...

[greatauntoftriplets]

48. You should read up on how primaries work.

[HarlanPepper]

49. ...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

51. There are Democrats in South Carolina.

The purpose of the South Carolina Democratic primary (and all the others) is to gather enough delegate votes to win the nomination of Democrats. Whether Democrats can ultimately win the state in a general election is irrelevant to who can win its Democratic primary.

[RandySF]

53. It's about delegates right now.

But I’ll remember this point when Bernie wins Idaho.

[Laelth]

56. True.

But there are a lot of Democrats in SC, and they get to elect delegates to our convention just like everyone else. Their delegates matter, even if the state, as a whole, is Republican.

I feel like I am missing your point, here.



-Laelth