Republican voters in South Carolina presidential primary are all white

[RecycleMichael]

I thought this page was interesting...

http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/epolls/sc

98% of the voters in Saturday's republican presidential primary were white. 1% black and 1% other.

The 2010 census showed that 27.9% of the South Carolina population is black (by comparison, Oklahoma is 7.4%).
Another 8.2% of South Carolinans are other race (Oklahoma is 8.2% American Indian and 8.9% Hispanic).

More than one third of the South Carolina's population is non-white. Yet none of that 35% appears to vote in republican presidential primaries.

The fact that minorities aren't registered republican or at least didn't vote for any of these candidates yesterday is interesting. What does it mean about the general election?

[Ed W]

More than one third of the South Carolina's population is non-white. Yet none of that 35% appears to vote in republican presidential primaries.

The fact that minorities aren't registered republican or at least didn't vote for any of these candidates yesterday is interesting. What does it mean about the general election?

I think it's pretty obvious by now.  Those minorities have to be prevented from voting through voter ID laws and gerrymandering.  The Republican elite would bring back poll taxes and literacy tests if they could.

[AquaMan]

My new favorite Sunday am show is UP with Chris Hayes on MSNBC. Melissa-Harris Perry, a guest, was much more subtle about the lack of black participation, saying, "I just didn't see anyone standing behind the candidates (after the election) who looked like me".

Really good show with guests ranging from David Stockman from the Reagan era to Elliot Spitzer. Like most New Yorkers and big city people they think and talk very fast but well worth the effort. Hayes talks faster, without pausing, than most people think. Stockman was well spoken, historically more accurate since he served in the Reagan administration, and blunt.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Any bets on Obama carrying South Carolina?

[Conan71]

The most logical conclusion is the minorities are racist and will only vote for a black president.

[RecycleMichael]

Don't be so predictable.

South Carolina has a black republican Congressman. The black republicans in the state voted for John McCain four years ago against Mike Huckabee. They just didn't go to the polls on Saturday.

Why did they pass on this group of republican presidential hopefuls?

[Gaspar]

I think that is a rather curious statistic.  South Carolina is currently 10% unemployed (9.9 to be exact).  This means that real unemployment is around 20% in that state.  Unemployment among African-Americans typically trends much higher than other groups.  Furthermore, Southern folk (of all races) are typically more conservative and religious than their Northern counterparts.  

One would assume that African American Republicans in that state would be very interested in any political participation that would put an end to the current policies that seporate many of them from being active in the workforce.

Perhaps they simply do not identify with these candidates on a political or cultural level. Newt is a white establishment politician with a pension for speaking truth to power, even when it is not in his best interest.  Mitt is a white, big money Mormon, an alien concept to many from the South.  The only republican candidate that would have produced a positive turnout among African-American Southerners was sniped from the the primaries.

I think there is something very important to consider.  We will have to see if President Obama picks up any traction in the South, but I anticipate that momentum for the incumbent in any state with 10% unemployment will be very low among all races.  

This will be a very interesting election, even more so than 4 years ago, because now President Obama has a complete track record to present instead of "Hopey Changey."  This means that it will be far easier to measure votes based solely on race instead of policy.

It would be truly wonderful if we had a media that didn't turn politics into a race-bating game, but we do not, so I foresee many articles and reports focusing on race during this election cycle.  Perhaps even more so than last election.  After all, class struggle and race can be powerful allies when you lack a record of positive achievement.

Good post RM.

[AquaMan]

To quote Freud, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar".

The remarks and behavior Grich has been exhibiting are at the very least stupid. But I think he knows what he's doing and where he's doing it. He waited for a journalist to bring up something remotely critical of his racially tinged remarks then jumped on him. In one case it was bonanza...Juan Williams... a black journalist (ironically a conservative intellectual journalist) who questioned his remarks about Obama on MLK day and got his head handed to him.

[Townsend]

The remarks and behavior Grich has been exhibiting are at the very least stupid. But I think he knows what he's doing and where he's doing it. He waited for a journalist to bring up something remotely critical of his racially tinged remarks then jumped on him. In one case it was bonanza...Juan Williams... a black journalist (ironically a conservative intellectual journalist) who questioned his remarks about Obama on MLK day and got his head handed to him.

So Newt is Julia Sugarbaker?

[heironymouspasparagus]

Why did they pass on this group of republican presidential hopefuls?

Because one is Newt.  Another is Mormon.  The rest are posers and idiots.

[AquaMan]

So Newt is Julia Sugarbaker?

Sorry, never got into that show much. Artsy Fartsy southern decorators. Deliver me from the nineties Lord!

[Townsend]

Sorry, never got into that show much. Artsy Fartsy southern decorators. Deliver me from the nineties Lord!

The character would go off on someone with a self righteous rant and the sound guy would place in the 1990's "oooooo's" and "yay's/cheers/applause" to make it a mini "very special episode".

It was her character's "go to" thing and probably a way to make the actress feel as though she was doing something larger than a horrible sitcom...just like the gentlemen running for office...

[AquaMan]

Then yes.

Aren't we glad for hundreds of channels now? I saw a re-run yesterday of a 1922 film "classic" about witches. Stinker. But learned among other things that witches rubbed an ointment on their backs made from decomposing bodies snatched from the gallows that allowed them to fly. They also were required to kiss Satan's derriere each time they talked with him.

[Teatownclown]

The most logical conclusion is the minorities are racist and will only vote for a black president.

This is how you got your nickname "Zero" right? (other than the similar looks?)

[Conan71]

This is how you got your nickname "Zero" right? (other than the similar looks?)

Let's face it, the jobs picture is bleaker for black America under Obama than it was under Bush.  If they vote in droves for him again, there's really only one good conclusion, they just don't want to vote for a white man. 

Why would it be any different than the excuse that white people wouldn't vote for Obama or like his policies simply because he's black?