By Jonathon Sweeney,
1st Vice Chair, GCDP

We are incredibly grateful to President Biden for his leadership and the historic progress his administration has made for our country. His decision to not seek reelection was a sacrifice made during an incredibly pivotal moment in American politics and another example of his character and care for country over personal ambition.
 
I’d be remiss if I didn’t comment on the fresh wave of energy Democrats felt since Vice President Kamala Harris ascended to the top of the ticket. She will continue to bring new voters into the fold as we have seen in the short time she’s been our presumptive nominee. We look forward to propelling her and our vice presidential nominee from our party convention in Chicago. 

And all this comes, not just just at a pivotal time in American politics but in American history.

We have found ourselves at an inflection point. One that is critical to the direction of our county, state, nation, and world. Forces have assembled that want to take us backwards.

Those forces want to roll back the clock on rights that have been established for generations. Decent folks, like you and I, we must reject attempts to reverse the progress our forebears fought for and helped see come to pass.

It is with a persistent spirit; we must meet the moment before us. There is too much at stake. Women’s reproductive rights are at stake. We can’t go back. Access to a full and accurate education for our children in the classroom is at stake. We can’t go back. The right to assemble in public places like schools, churches, and venues of entertainment without fear of being gunned down by those who should not have access to firearms is at stake.

We simply can’t afford to go backwards. And so, we must get in and fight for progress to push our great county, state, and nation forward – not backwards. We have exemplary candidates who have filed to represent you and me on the Democratic slate. They are counting on all of us, our families and our friends to support them so that they can get to work in their respective legislative bodies to fight for and represent us.

Several of the candidates we have on our slate have stepped up to challenge incumbent Republicans while other candidates will be vying to win open seats previously held by the Republican Party.

Those include Karine Debaty who is looking to advocate for us on Greenville County Council, representing District 22, which was previously represented by an extremist, unserious council member. Brann Fowler is running for an open SC House seat, but against a popular Greenville County servant in November, when he vies for the District 22 spot. Shauna Johnson has a tough proposition attempting to unseat a longstanding SC House member as she competes for the District 24 leadership post. In SC House District 27, John MacCarthy prepares to bring the fight to a political newcomer who is finishing his first term in the SC House this year.

We have two SC Senate candidates that we can get behind. We have the opportunity to engineer what most would call a great upset by unseating a Republican state senator who has seemingly been in that body for too long, and electing Taylor Culliver, in the SC Senate District 8  race. In the SC Senate District 12 race,  Octavia Amaechi, MD is poised to pick up a seat for Democrats by looking to win the election for an open seat which has some of the same old Republican players. Lastly, we have an opportunity to elect a congresswoman in  Kathryn Harvey to replace our current Republican congressman and get some sensible leadership in Washington.

All these races can be won with hard work, support, and dedication, but the candidates can’t do it by themselves. We must fight for all these seats as well as those of each incumbent that represents the Democratic Party platform. We need all of you to chip in and fight like our future depends on it, because it does! I don’t know about you, but I don’t want a world for our kids and grandkids that looks bleaker than the one provided to us. As Democrats, we look to the future with optimism and hope. We leave the mindsets that push restrictive, closeminded, outdated and harmful ideologies to our Republican counterparts. Let’s work, let’s donate, let’s spread the word until every voter is reached and then we can see the change we want.

While we breathe, we hope. Let’s go Greenville County!

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County Chair Amanda McDougald Scott is on maternity leave