Our View: Vote June 9 in South Carolina primary, despite legislature’s pesky meddling

When an octopus wants to get away from a predator, it may squirt a dark cloud of “ink” from melanin and mucus into the water to create a smoke screen to escape.

Unfortunately for South Carolina primary voters on June 9, the S.C. General Assembly has mucked up the voting process by fiddling with congressional district lines. Its unprecedented mid-decade redistricting process to gain a racist political advantage in U.S. House seats is sowing confusion in more ways than one.

If the legislature has its way, congressional primaries will be put off until August, adding a huge expense to candidates and the voting process. But if state lawmakers are not successful with the delay, they still would have won in a certain way because their interference would create so much confusion that some voters just wouldn’t turn out.

So let’s be clear: The June 9 primary for statewide candidates is still on. Also on the ballot in contested races will be candidates for U.S. Senate, S.C. House and local elections. That means that you should head to the polls June 9 — despite the legislature’s cynical shenanigans over redistricting.

Don’t let the murky ink of messing with district lines interfere with your constitutional right to vote for the best candidate for various positions.

Webster for Democrats

Upstate businessman Billy Webster has the kind of business acumen, can-do spirit and commitment to the classic ideals of a constitutional republic that voters can respect as they pull the lever for his campaign for governor.

Webster, who has a long resume of public service interspersed between periods of being a successful serial entrepreneur, offers the kind of plain talk and dedication to South Carolina that’s missing in most elected officials. A vote for Webster is a vote to put South Carolina on a better track for its future.

Also in the Democratic primary, we encourage you to vote for these statewide candidates:

S.C. Secretary of State: Edwina Winter
State Treasurer: Trav Robertson
Comptroller General: Tiffany Boozer
S.C. Superintendent of Education: Lisa Ellis

Wilson for Republicans

South Carolina’s race for governor has become increasingly nasty with one candidate yelling at S.C. State University students for being a “woke mob” and another accusing state lawmakers of corruption — even though the Republican Party has run things in the state for more than 20 years.

That’s why we encourage Republicans to cast ballots in the GOP primary for current Attorney General Alan Wilson to be the party’s candidate for governor.

While we haven’t agreed with Wilson’s penchant for participating in just about every partisan national lawsuit filed in federal courts, we appreciate his commitment to the rule of law and the democratic process. Compared to other Republican candidates in the gubernatorial race, he seems stable, driven and motivated to keep South Carolina in the lane moving forward.
Also in the Republican primary, we endorse: