COLUMBIA, SC (WSPA) — South Carolina will play a key role in the 2024 presidential election. We talked to Palmetto State political science professors about it Monday.
“Voters have always known how important the state is in these races,” said Dr. Willie Black of South Carolina State University.
On the Democratic side, the state primaries have moved up the nomination calendar. It will be the first primary held in 2024.
Dr. Mikel Norris of Coastal Carolina University said the change in calendar will elevate some of the events held in the state.
“It’s actually going to be very important here in Horry County with the Galivants Ferry Stump. That’s always been important, but events like this will have national significance,” he said.
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott officially announced his candidacy for the White House on Monday. He joins a growing field of Republican candidates running for president, which includes former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
Norris and Black said it’s rare to see two candidates from the same state for their party’s nomination. Norris said both Scott and Haley could face an uphill battle in South Carolina.
“Both candidates have strengths they can run on, but it makes you wonder, given the press and attention Trump and DeSantis have received over the last few years, could they make enough noise with everything going on in their around,” he said.
Black agrees.
“I could imagine because of his popularity among South Carolina Republican voters, I could imagine that their votes would be split and Trump would benefit from that,” he said.
