California Governor, DNC Chair among speakers at Morris College rally
SUMTER, SC (WOLO) — As the South Carolina Democratic Primary on February 3rd approaches, leaders within the party are joining together in a “First in the Nation” statewide tour.
California Governor Gavin Newsom and Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison were among Thursday’s speakers who addressed students at Morris College in Sumter.
Their message was clear — South Carolina picks presidents.
Christale Spain is the Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party.
“We have picked the nominee for president nearly every time in almost every primary. No other state in the country can say that. It’s a big deal! You should applaud yourself for that,” Spain says.
Among their talking points were what they believe to be successes under President Biden — including a stronger infrastructure, job creation, and the beginnings of student debt relief.
Harrison says the choice for president is a simple one, and will be a choice between hope and fear.
“They want to make you afraid to go outside your door. But the superpower of the Democratic Party has always been hope. They believe that the better days are behind us in “Make America Great Again,” but we believe that our better days are ahead of us,” Harrison says.
California Governor Gavin Newsom says he’s here to remind students of what’s at stake.
“It’s as different as daylight and darkness. Liberalism or illiberalism. Rights being regressed or a world that can be transformed. Fighting for the future or putting America in reverse,” Newsom says.
Student Thales Boykin says he likes the leaders’ messages of hope and change.
“I think I can speak for everybody by saying, it was a very meaningful event. A lot of information was passed along. I think it’s important that the youth get out and vote, you know, and be more proactive and take advantage of the opportunities that we have now. There wasn’t always the opportunity for people of color to vote, so I think we should all take advantage of that,” says Boykin.
Governor Newsom had one-on-one time with students, before speaking with ABC Columbia’s Lee Williams. Newsom says the Democratic Party isn’t taking any voters for granted.
“President Biden is president of the United States because of South Carolina, and I think that connection is very very evident everywhere I’ve gone, and the connection and power and potency of people’s voices and what they did to propel President Biden into this position. And the fact that he reciprocated by bringing the first in the nation primary back to SC. I mean that’s a demonstration of loyalty and respect. So that reciprocity I felt, everywhere I went,” says Newsom.
Newsom also talked about the importance of voting in the primary.
“Voting is about democracy. It’s about citizenship. In November it’s not just about who’s in the top of the ticket it’s about everybody else. City council races, and other statewide races, and I just think it’s profoundly important. And I really mean this. Once you get addicted to the process of voting, it becomes contagious, and it’s a big part of your life, so especially for young people, just breaking through that paradigm of ‘My vote doesn’t matter,’ ‘No one cares,’ and just getting through that first hurdle and on the other side, I think is profoundly important,” Newsom says.
