USC Political Science Professor Previews Primary Election

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)– Tuesday, South Carolinians will hit the polls to elect their candidates for November. Experts from USC said these are going to be some really tight races, especially the Governor’s race. Many citizens are excited to get out and vote.

“Yes, absolutely, first thing in the morning,” Lauren Wells said, a Blythewood resident. 

“Absolutely, absolutely. It’s a key part as our right as a citizen. So, yeah we should all go out and vote,” Clint Hankinson, another Blythewood resident said. 

There are a lot of candidates to weed through for the Governor’s race… on the Republican side alone, there’s Governor Henry McMaster, Lt. Gov. Kevin Bryant, Catherine Templeton, John Warren, and Yancey McGill. Democratic candidates include Rep. James Smith, Marguerite Willis, and Phil Noble.

“The national dynamic which we’ve seen over the past couple of years also plays into the type of candidates we’re seeing here,” Robert Oldendick said, a University of South Carolina political science professor.

Oldendick said this is an “insiders” vs. ”outsiders” race, but the key is going to be how unhappy voters are with subjects like the education system and roads, on top of other topics.

“I think there’s some dissatisfaction, I mean look at the major issues, we’ve got the whole nuclear power plant fiasco, the corruption issue,” Oldendick said.

“Well, we have so many folks running too, that we need to narrow it down. So it’s a good way to do that. And even if you don’t think it’s as important to vote in the primary, it’s still meaningful, it’s a meaningful part of the process,” Wells said.

“On the Republican side, I think it’ll likely be a runoff. And I think Governor McMaster will be one of the two, and then it’ll be a matter of if it will be Catherine Templeton or John Warren be the second. And if i had to make a prediction I think Templeton will slightly edge out Warren,” Oldendick said. Oldendick said if it comes down to McMaster and Smith; or Templeton and Willis it will be an interesting November since the candidates are so starkly contrasted.

Of course, the results of tomorrow depends on who votes.  Oldendick said things will be very interesting tomorrow since it has been such a spirited campaign. To lear more about where to vote and what to bring, visit SCVotes.org