Republican presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley and Mike Pence traded fire on the debate stage Wednesday night, mostly leaving frontrunner and former President Donald Trump — who didn’t show up — unscathed. Among the takeaways:
- Ramaswamy smiled his way through the night wrapping himself in Trumpism.
- DeSantis, considered second in the polls, avoided attacks and seemed mostly on the sidelines, failing to make much of an impression.
- Pence, the former vice president, came out punching and pushed his career-long support for pro-life politics.
- Haley did well and came off as a pragmatist, sometimes at odds with the party and its normal positions. The other South Carolinian in the race, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, didn’t make much of an impact, many observed.
Though Trump didn’t show up for the debate, he belittled his Republican counterparts in an interview with Tucker Carlson on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In City Paper news:
CP NEWS: All-male S.C. Supreme Court reverses key abortion decision. The South Carolina Supreme Court, with a newly all-male bench, reversed an earlier decision, allowing the state’s new six-week abortion ban to take effect.
CP NEWS: Updated: Toilet Roll Poll graces Charleston skyline. Charleston’s new eyesore — a 113-foot 5G wireless communications tower that looks like three rolls of toilet paper atop a pole — slithered into existence without anyone being able to do much about it, thanks to the Federal Communications Commission.
CP FOOD: Howard’s book club explores food stories. Vivian Howard of Charleston’s Lenoir and Handy & Hot hosts a series of book clubs in Charleston. Howard’s monthly club meets with different chefs from around the south to preserve the stories and the foodways of the South.
In other news:
Price tag of Ashley River Pedestrian Bridge rises. The price to build a standalone bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the Ashley River has jumped to more than $73 million.
Charleston Co. offers free septic tanks, well repairs for qualifying families. Charleston County is looking to spend $2 million to help income-eligible residents repair or replace their wells and septic tanks, or connect their homes to existing infrastructure. Those who qualify for the well, septic tank and connection program must own their home and earn no more than 80% of the area median income.
See who Charleston neighborhoods support in the mayoral race. Campaign donations flowing into Charleston’s six-way race for mayor show not all areas of the city are supporting the candidates equally.
Trident United Way finds 40% of Tri-County homes struggle financially. Trident United Way says 40% of homes in the Tri-County area are struggling to make ends meet. The non-profit is calling these people ALICE, an acronym for those who are Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed, being one unexpected bill away from poverty.
2024 Cooper River Bridge design announced. The official design for the 2024 Cooper River Bridge Run was revealed Wednesday, featuring a pelican holding a pair of sneakers adorned with a design of the bridge in the foreground and the silhouette of the bridge in the background.
- To get dozens of South Carolina news stories every business day, contact the folks at SC Clips.
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