South Carolina Green Party
Encyclopedia
The South Carolina Green Party is a ballot-qualified political party in the state of South Carolina
. It is the state affiliate party of the national Green Party
of the United States.
The party had been the South Carolina affiliate of the Natural Law Party but was taken over by the Green Party after the Natural Law Party officially disbanded its national organization in 2002. The party has been ballot qualified throughout its affiliation with the Green Party.
Since its founding, the party has regularly participated in elections for state, local and national office, most notably in the 2010 elections.
The party has one elected official, Eugene Platt, who has served for many years in a non-partisan position on the James Island
Public Service District.
regional coordinator Tom Clements
to run for the US Senate later that year. He ran against incumbent Republican
Jim DeMint
and military veteran and Democrat
Alvin Greene
as well as several write-in candidate
s.
Clements raised more than $50,000 by mid-October. Incumbent Jim DeMint reported more than $3 million raised to date. Democrat Alvin Greene reported no fundraising activities during the entire campaign.
A Winthrop University
poll conducted between October 5 and 10 with 741 likely South Carolina voters found Clements running second with 12.2% of the vote against 11.2% for Democrat Alvin Greene and 58.3% for incumbent Jim DeMint.
Clements campaigned around the state from June through November 1, appearing at NAACP forums, stump meetings, editorial conferences and other public events. The campaign financed TV and radio advertisements in the Columbia
, Charleston
and Pee Dee
regions during the two weeks prior to the election.
Clements received 121,472 in the final tally, 9.22% of the total 1,318,794 votes cast. This is the best result for a candidate who was not a Democrat or Republican since Strom Thurmond won as a write-in candidate in 1954. Clements' result also exceeds the previous best result for a progressive statewide candidate: Ralph Nader
received 20,297 votes for President from South Carolina in 2000.
Other notable results include the 1,186 votes earned by Eugene Platt running in SC House District 115. D.C. Swinton running in SC House District 24 as a Green/Democratic fusion
candidate while a student at Winthrop University earned 3,390 votes or 25% of the total. Christopher Jones received 11.76% in a two-person race in SC House District 74. Leslie Minerd and Dorthea Bull each received around 2%. Gubernatorial candidate Morgan Reeves received 1.16%. Against local prosecutor Trey Gowdy
and an array of right wing minor parties C. Faye Walter’s vote in the 4th Congressional District
was 1.18%. Robert Dobbs similarly earned about 1.16% running in the 1st Congressional district
against six other candidates. Nammu Mohammed received about 1% of the vote against Democratic Congressional Whip Jim Clyburn
of the 6th District
.
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. It is the state affiliate party of the national Green Party
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
of the United States.
The party had been the South Carolina affiliate of the Natural Law Party but was taken over by the Green Party after the Natural Law Party officially disbanded its national organization in 2002. The party has been ballot qualified throughout its affiliation with the Green Party.
Since its founding, the party has regularly participated in elections for state, local and national office, most notably in the 2010 elections.
The party has one elected official, Eugene Platt, who has served for many years in a non-partisan position on the James Island
James Island, South Carolina
James Island is a former town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. It is located in the central and southern parts of James Island. As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and used by the U.S...
Public Service District.
2010 Elections
In May 2010, the party nominated Friends of the EarthFriends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
regional coordinator Tom Clements
Tom Clements (politician)
Tom Clements is a South Carolina environmental activist and politician. Clements was the Green Party's nominee in the 2010 United States Senate election in South Carolina. Clements received more than 9% of the general election. He is the Southeastern Nuclear Campaign Coordinator for the US branch...
to run for the US Senate later that year. He ran against incumbent Republican
South Carolina Republican Party
The South Carolina Republican Party and the South Carolina Democratic Party are the two major political parties within the U.S. state of South Carolina...
Jim DeMint
Jim DeMint
James Warren "Jim" DeMint is the junior U.S. Senator from South Carolina, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party and a leader in the Tea Party movement. He previously served as the U.S. Representative for from 1999 to 2005.-Early life and education:DeMint was born in...
and military veteran and Democrat
South Carolina Democratic Party
The South Carolina Democratic Party is the South Carolina affiliate of the United States Democratic Party. The Democratic party thrived during the Second Party System between 1832 and the mid-1850s and was one of the causes of the collapse of the Whig Party....
Alvin Greene
Alvin Greene
Alvin Michael Greene is a Democrat from South Carolina. He was the Democratic Party's nominee in the 2010 United States Senate election in South Carolina. He was defeated by incumbent Republican Sen. Jim DeMint by a margin of 61.46% to 27.65%, with the remaining votes going to third-party and...
as well as several write-in candidate
Write-in candidate
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu...
s.
Clements raised more than $50,000 by mid-October. Incumbent Jim DeMint reported more than $3 million raised to date. Democrat Alvin Greene reported no fundraising activities during the entire campaign.
A Winthrop University
Winthrop University
Winthrop University is a public, four-year liberal arts university in Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA. In 2006-07, Winthrop University had an enrollment of 6,292 students. The University has been recognized as South Carolina's top-rated university according to evaluations conducted by the South...
poll conducted between October 5 and 10 with 741 likely South Carolina voters found Clements running second with 12.2% of the vote against 11.2% for Democrat Alvin Greene and 58.3% for incumbent Jim DeMint.
Clements campaigned around the state from June through November 1, appearing at NAACP forums, stump meetings, editorial conferences and other public events. The campaign financed TV and radio advertisements in the Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
and Pee Dee
Pee Dee River
The Pee Dee River, also known as the Great Pee Dee River, is a river in North Carolina and South Carolina. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, where its upper course above the mouth of the Uwharrie River is known as the Yadkin River. It is extensively dammed for flood...
regions during the two weeks prior to the election.
Clements received 121,472 in the final tally, 9.22% of the total 1,318,794 votes cast. This is the best result for a candidate who was not a Democrat or Republican since Strom Thurmond won as a write-in candidate in 1954. Clements' result also exceeds the previous best result for a progressive statewide candidate: Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
received 20,297 votes for President from South Carolina in 2000.
Other notable results include the 1,186 votes earned by Eugene Platt running in SC House District 115. D.C. Swinton running in SC House District 24 as a Green/Democratic fusion
Electoral fusion
Electoral fusion is an arrangement where two or more political parties on a ballot list the same candidate, pooling the votes for that candidate...
candidate while a student at Winthrop University earned 3,390 votes or 25% of the total. Christopher Jones received 11.76% in a two-person race in SC House District 74. Leslie Minerd and Dorthea Bull each received around 2%. Gubernatorial candidate Morgan Reeves received 1.16%. Against local prosecutor Trey Gowdy
Trey Gowdy
Harold Watson "Trey" Gowdy III is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. Before his election to Congress, he was the solicitor for the state's Seventh Judicial Circuit, comprising Spartanburg and Cherokee counties.- Early life :He was born in 1964 in Greenville,...
and an array of right wing minor parties C. Faye Walter’s vote in the 4th Congressional District
South Carolina's 4th congressional district
The 4th Congressional District of South Carolina is a congressional district in upstate South Carolina bordering North Carolina. It includes all of Greenville, Spartanburg and Union counties and a part of Laurens county. The district is characterized by the two major cities of Greenville and...
was 1.18%. Robert Dobbs similarly earned about 1.16% running in the 1st Congressional district
South Carolina's 1st congressional district
The 1st Congressional District of South Carolina is a coastal congressional district in South Carolina. It stretches from Seabrook Island in the south to the North Carolina border and includes parts of Charleston, Dorchester, Berkeley and Georgetown counties and all of Horry county...
against six other candidates. Nammu Mohammed received about 1% of the vote against Democratic Congressional Whip Jim Clyburn
Jim Clyburn
James Enos "Jim" Clyburn is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993, and the Assistant Democratic Leader since 2011. He was previously House Majority Whip, serving in that post from 2007 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
of the 6th District
South Carolina's 6th congressional district
The 6th Congressional District of South Carolina is a congressional district in central South Carolina. It includes all of Bamberg, Clarendon, Colleton, Marion and Williamsburg counties and parts of Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Lee, Orangeburg, Richland and...
.