"Today I am announcing that I am withdrawing from the campaign for South Carolina Governor," Drake said in a statement.
"I got into this race because I believed that South Carolina's families deserved much more than they were getting from their Governor. We are facing the toughest times in a generation, and we can only take that on with dedicated, experienced leadership that is focused on putting our people back to work and building a better future for our kids. I have ambitious ideas for getting our state back on track, and I have the knowledge and experience to put those ideas into action.
"But a statewide campaign for office is not just about these things. It also requires resources - campaign dollars to run in a competitive primary and in a competitive general election.
"I am deeply grateful for - and humbled by - the support I have received from my fellow South Carolinians in the seven months since I began my campaign. As I have put pen to paper in recent days, it's become clear to me that I am not going to be able to marshal the resources needed to run the competitive, substantive campaign that I set out to run."
The Columbia attorney and lobbyist's departure from the race essentially leaves the Democratic gubernatorial contest a head-to-head match up between State Superintendent Jim Rex and State Senator Vincent Sheheen (D-Camden). State Senator Robert Ford (D-Charleston) is also running, though he currently lacks the statewide name recognition Rex enjoys or the financial resources of Sheheen, who is currently leading the money race on the Dem side.
The three remaining candidates will face off in the Democratic Primary on June 8.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dwight Drake has picked up a big endorsement from one of South Carolina's longest-serving mayors.
Columbia Mayor Bob Coble announced Monday he's backing Drake in this year's governor's race.
"Today I am happy to announce my support and endorsement of Dwight Drake, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for Governor," said Mayor Coble. "As a resident of Columbia for forty years, Dwight understands the challenges facing the midlands, and his experience working for Governors John West and Dick Riley makes Dwight the only candidate who can do the job of Governor from Day One. The challenges we face demand that we have a Governor who needs no on-the-job training, and I am proud to endorse and support Dwight Drake as that candidate."
Drake, a Columbia attorney and lobbyist, is facing a fierce five-way primary race this June. Also competing for the Democratic nomination (and the endorsements) are State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex, Camden Sen. Vincent Sheheen, Charleston Sen. Robert Ford, and Lowcountry attorney Mullins McLeod.
Thoughts on the significance of Coble's endorsement?
Dwight Drake is the latest Democratic candidate for governor to issue a statement condeming Andre Bauer's outrageous comments about the poor.
I condemn Bauer's attack on hungry children because their parents don't have a job. During his time as lieutenant governor, the state's unemployment has doubled and is now one of the highest in the nation. This is no time to attack children to pick up a few votes.
Lt. Governor Bauer and Governor Mark Sanford have been neglecting their jobs for years now and the results are impossible to miss. Governor Sanford in his State-of-the-State apologized to the people of South Carolina for abandoning his post, but he and Lt. Governor Bauer should have apologized to the hundreds of thousands who have lost their jobs because they have neglected their jobs for last 8 years while angling for higher office or running off to Argentina. The only jobs Sanford and Bauer have been interested in are their own - while more than 270,000 are out of work.
Lt. Governor Bauer's comments reflect utter lack of concern the current administration has for the people of South Carolina.
Not a single GOP candidate has stepped forward to challenge Bauer's statements.
State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex finally turned in his campaign disclosure report today and let's just say, it's not good news for South Carolina's only statewide-elected Democrat. Rex had the dubious distinction of being the only Democratic gubernatorial candidate to spend more money than he brought in, finishing last place behind Senator Robert Ford in total cash on hand. Below is a full rundown on the Democratic candidates' fourth quarter fundraising efforts.
Vincent Sheheen: Contributions: $222,673
Expenditures: $100,919
Cash on Hand: $749,029
Burn Rate: 45%
The State Senator from Camden was the first Democrat to jump into the 2010 field, giving him an early advantage in the money race. Sheheen's first staff hire was Dem Money Honey Ashley Medbery, who quickly made fundraising the campaign's top priority. In the fourth quarter, the campaign began investing in outside help, spending $10k on the fundraising firm Blanton & Associates and $16k on marketing with BANCO/Bannister Company. Now eleven months since launching his exploratory committee, Team Sheheen has consistently finished first in the Democratic money race each quarter and enjoys the largest campaign war chest heading into this spring's crowded primary.
According to a press release from the campaign, State Representatives Boyd Brown and Bakari Sellers have announced their endorsement of Dwight Drake for Governor. From the release:
"Dwight Drake is, simply put, the best candidate to get South Carolina working again, and there is no more important job for the next Governor than that," said Rep. Brown. "He has the hands-on experience and proven leadership that we desperately need, and with his comprehensive jobs plan, Dwight offers actual solutions, not just catch phrases, to get our state back on track."
"Dwight Drake is a 'get it done' guy, and after nearly eight years of failed leadership under Mark Sanford, Dwight is exactly the kind of experienced, effective leader we need to create jobs, strengthen schools, and build opportunity for South Carolina families again," said Rep. Sellers. "His experience and his plan will help rebuild our economy across the state, and I especially appreciate that his jobs plan recognizes the critical importance of rural areas and small businesses to our economy."
This really caught my attention because I enjoyed following both members in their freshman terms. I don't know much about Drake but I haven't paid much attention to him either. The thought of a lobbyist turned politician leaves me a little unsettled but maybe now I'll lend him some credibility. You can read the full release below the jump. As a side note, I was looking at their statehouse bios for campaign work. Brown worked for Tommy Moore's campaign in 2006 and Sellers was on the steering committee for Obama for America's SC operation in 2008.
My experiences have taught me what it takes to build successful economic efforts in South Carolina. So, like many others who are concerned about the current economic condition of our state, I am deeply embarrassed by a Governor who has been completely missing in action on the jobs front. At this point, our Governor isn't just absent in our economic development efforts; he's actually an impediment that we have to work around in order to get anything done. South Carolina's families deserve better than the struggling economy and soaring unemployment that we're experiencing. That's why I am running for Governor: to get South Carolina back in the jobs business and to get South Carolina working again
I feel so strongly about jobs because more and better jobs are the answer to South Carolina's problems. With a Governor who is truly engaged and focused on creating more jobs and growing businesses, we can help address our fiscal problems, improve our schools, and strengthen our families. And I wholeheartedly subscribe to the old saying that a good job is the best government program. South Carolinians should know that as Governor, I will wake up in the morning thinking about how to create jobs, and I will go to bed every night thinking about how to create jobs. There is no more important and fundamental issue in this election - and indeed for the future of our state - than jobs. And as Governor, no one will work harder than me to bring jobs to South Carolina.
The next Governor needs to lay out a wide-ranging agenda for immediate improvement and long-term transformation of South Carolina's economy. Today I released the initial installment of the major economic action items that I think are necessary for our people to have not only the hope but the reality of better jobs for a better future. The complete plan is available on my web site. Read the full entry to see the top line bullets of my plan.
Jim Hodges gave an interview to the Free Times a few months ago that provides a lot of insight into what has motivated the Dwight Drake campaign. He may have thought it was just an aside when he implied that Vincent Sheheen or Mullins McLeod would not be able to provide "adult" leadership, but really it shows the real conflict that is going on here.
Dwight Drake and Dick Harpootlian, and yes, even Jim Hodges are part of the generation in South Carolina politics that is struggling to come to grips with the fact that their time in power is quickly diminishing as time goes on. They are old. No disrespect intended; instead, it's just a natural part of life. But there comes a time to simply let go.
There is a new generation emerging within the party that seeks to lead this party to the political forefront, and these old boys have no connection to any of them. So now they trot out Dwight Drake, who was once the wunderkind of the Democratic Party...in 1974. Also, has Jim Hodges already forgotten he wasn't much older than McLeod or Sheheen when he assumed the Governor's Office in 1998? And is it so bad that the young people coming up in the Democratic Party weren't part of that whole cadre of insiders? I mean, after all, they are the guys who totally lost control of state government to the GOP. They lost. They screwed it up. So forgive me and forgive the other young people in the Democratic Party who weren't present for the miserable failures of the past. Sorry to have missed it.
Hodges' attitude reflected in that comment is endemic of the whole crew pushing Dwight Drake. They think that the youth of the South Carolina Democratic Party is not only irrelevant, but incapable of assuming leadership roles. This primary is an opportunity to show Drake, Hodges, Harpootlian that we are able and willing to clean up the mess they made of our proud Democratic Party, and now is as good a time as ever. We can usher in a new era for this party, and create a forward-thinking, WINNING culture in the SCDP.
Our state party is at a crucial juncture in its history. Our proud gubernatorial primary, which through the years has seen some of South Carolina's finest statesmen offer their names for leadership, is about to be inundated with more special interest money than ever before. We have a candidate in the race now who has represented the most reprehensible of special interests, from organized gambling to payday lenders. This candidacy is equipped with the most talented of consultants, who will try to sell the ultimate insider to us as somehow representative of our most deeply held values. These are not just questionable associations, they are fundamentally incompatible with the values of the Democratic Party. How can someone claim to represent the Democratic Party when he profits personally from the forces which make their money from keeping poor people poor?
The Democratic Party has an opportunity in this primary. We can make a definitive statement about what we stand for right here and right now. We are the party of social justice. We believe in the fundamental structure of capitalism, but we have not lost sight of the fact that sometimes people fall on hard times. We are the party that strives to protect our society's least fortunate from the vagaries of the market. We do not advocate dependence; instead, we fight to make sure the poorest of our citizenry are provided the most basic of necessities during times of hardship. We are the party that aims to give a voice to the voiceless and to increase their influence in the political process. How can we as a party endorse the very symbol of insider power? How can we reconcile our most deeply held beliefs with this offensive against the Democratic Party?
This is about the heart and soul of the South Carolina Democratic Party. We are not just nominating a candidate to go against the Republicans; instead, we are making a statement as to what this party is, and where we want it to go. We will not be dictated to by the insider crowd, and we will not allow democracy to be suffocated in the darkest of cigar-filled rooms.
Dwight Drake's new media team has come out swinging against our embattled Governor with a clever web video designed to direct viewers to sign the campaign's online petition urging state leaders to remove Sanford from office.
The web ad, "(500) Days of Sanford," (a play on the Indy romantic comedy "(500) Days of Summer") replays the highlights of this summer's entire Sanford saga and warns of continuing drama for South Carolina unless state leaders act soon to remove the Governor.
Last week, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate called on South Carolina's constitutional officers to oust Sanford for the good of the state. Under Article IV, Section 12 of the South Carolina Constitution, the state's four constitutional officers could remove Sanford from power if they find that the Governor is "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office."
While it's highly unlikely that the state's constitutional officers would be willing to oust the Governor in this fashion -- Attorney General/GOP gubernatorial candidate Henry McMaster indicated on Thursday he won't go there and Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom is a Sanford ally -- Drake's well-produced web ad already has gone viral.
Whether you're a Drake supporter or not, the Democratic candidate's aggressive, party-neutral anti-Sanford messaging and his creative new media strategy are the most sophisticated marketing and list-building approach to emerge so far in the 2010 gubernatorial race.
It's also a sign to his challengers that Drake is willing to pull out all the stops to grab the Democratic nomination next June.
Throw another way to rid ourselves of Mark Sanford into the mix.
Democratic gubenatorial candidate Dwight Drake just held a press call in which he called on the state's attorney general, treasurer, comptroller general and secretary of state to act on their own authority to remove the governor from office.
Article 4, Section 12.2 of the state constitution gives a majority of those officers the power to remove a governor from office should he be unable to perform the duties of the office. The lt. governor would assume office.
Should the governor object, the General Assembly must meet within 48 hours to decide the matter.
"It's time for bold leadership to end this nightmare and get back to creating jobs," Drake said.
The constitution does not specify what "unable" means. Drake, familiar with the provision from his work in the 1970's for Governor John West, said the language was deliberately left open to interpretation by legislators.
Asked if he believed Sanford might be mentally incapacitated, Drake said, "Whether it's spiritual, mental or whatever, this fellow is unable to do his job."
"Since July he's taken more vacations than Elizabeth Taylor at her best, and he's gone on an 'apology tour,'" Drake said. "But the number one job for a governor is jobs."
Drake said it's unlikely anyone with a major economic development prospect looking at the state would take that prospect to meet with Sanford.
Drake also raised further questions about Sanford's use of state and private planes.
"He's said these private planes were a gift," Drake said. "If so, he has to declare it on his taxes - we're going to need to see his taxes. Other state officials have gone to jail for failing to disclose gifts on their income taxes."
With the official entrance of one candidate and the expected annoucement of another soon to come, the endorsements and recriminations are flying in the race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
Current education chief Jim Rex isn't even an official candidate yet, but he's already won the endorsement of Rock Hill Mayor Doug Echols.
“South Carolina needs the kind of leadership Jim Rex will provide, and I hope he will run for Governor,” said Echols. “We are at a crossroads in South Carolina, and as the mayor of Rock Hill, I know how important it is to have a partner in the Governor’s office who understands what it takes to bring jobs and economic development to our communities.”
Echols was elected mayor in 1998 and has been re-elected twice.
Meanwhile, the bombshell announcement by Columbia attorney and powerbroker Dwight Drake brought swift response from his primary opponents and their allies.
First out of the gates was Kershaw representative Laurie Slade Funderburk.
"Dwight Drake has a well-earned reputation as a top lobbyist in this state. Unfortunately, he has built his career, in large part, by protecting the status quo for powerful special interests," Fundburk said, singling out Drake clients in tobacco, nuclear waste and payday lending.
Close on the heels of Funderburk came statements from two of Drake's opponents.
While Vincent Sheheen didn't refer to Drake by name, his statement closely tracked that of Funderburk.
“In the South Carolina Senate, I have focused on fighting the special interests and insider politics that too often control our government in Columbia at the expense of the people," Sheheen said. "Whether it be predatory lenders, big tobacco companies, or environmental polluters, I have been willing to stand up to them — and stand up FOR hard-working South Carolinians and our families."
Mullins McLeod didn't hesitate to call Drake out for his profession though.
"We welcome Mr. Drake to the race — he is a smart and talented person. But with all due respect, a corporate lobbyist won’t change politics as usual in Columbia," said a statement released by McLeod's campaign.
For his part, Heyward Harvin, who has close ties to McLeod consultant Lachlan McIntosh, almost immediately launched a Who Is Dwight Drake website. The site wasn't as spur of the moment as it seems, though. Records show that the domain name was purchased last month and is privately registered.
Following weeks of intense speculation, "stealth" Democratic candidate Dwight Drake finally unveiled his campaign for South Carolina governor today.
In a video message posted on his new campaign website, the Columbia lobbyist highlights his modest SC roots and touts his professional experience working on education initiatives in the Palmetto State, including his role in Casey Edwards' lawsuit to force Gov. Sanford to accept disputed federal stimulus funds.
The launch of Drake's campaign coincides nicely with the latest revelations that current Governor Mark Sanford misused state aircraft. In fact, the biographical video closes with Drake delivering a direct appeal to voters contrasting his experience and priorities in education and jobs with those of scandal-ridden Sanford, whom he accuses of being "AWOL" on job creation during his tenure.
Drake joins a crowded Democratic primary field which includes State Sen. Vincent Sheheen, Charleston attorney Mullins McLeod, State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex, and State Sen. Robert Ford.
Two independent sources have confirmed to IJ what Wolfe Reports broke earlier today - former Riley aide and uberlobbyist Dwight Drake is a candidate for governor.
Drake brings solid credentials with the business community to the race, but ties to the tobacco industry and energy companies might not endear him to some Democratic constituencies.
"Some of that is an easy target for his opponents," a longtime veteran of Palmetto State politics told IJ. "But Dwight will be a helluva good debater, he should have a lot of backing from a business community eager for a 'real' governor, and nobody's better at getting things done in the legislature.
"I'm completely shocked, but it's a very interesting idea," said a well-placed business leader.
Kudos to Wes Wolfe and to Corey Hutchins at Free Times for breaking this big story.
