There are a few “musts” for Democratic presidential candidates visiting South Carolina, a critical early primary state in 2020. One involves a visit with Steve Benjamin.
Benjamin, who in 2010 was elected the first African American mayor in Columbia’s history, has emerged as a key player and potential party kingmaker in the state’s political scene.
With U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn not planning to make a formal endorsement and freshman U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham not tipping his hand, Benjamin “is generally seen as the most coveted endorsement in South Carolina” among Democrats, according to Tyler Jones, a South Carolina political strategist expected to be an adviser on former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s 2020 campaign. Read more>>>