Democrats in South Carolina must work harder than ever to survive in an era of Republican domination

By JEFFREY COLLINS
Associated Press

FORT LAWN, S.C. (AP) — Democrats in South Carolina may be holding the nation’s first presidential primary. But the party is struggling inside the Southern state. Democrats have lost 31 straight statewide elections in South Carolina. The Republican governor won by 17 percentage points in 2022. The state’s only Democratic congressman is Jim Clyburn, who has been in office 31 years from a majority Black district. Recent history has shown that South Carolina Republicans use their levers of power better and tend to be more organized. Districts are drawn so the GOP can dominate. When Republicans see a chance to win local races, they send party leaders and volunteers in waves. Republicans also have persuaded hundreds of Democrats to change parties.