Diners applaud ‘smart move’ in Democrat’s final stretch as he tries to make history in SC

WEST COLUMBIA — As part of a packed schedule in his last week of campaigning, the Democrat running for governor in South Carolina wore an apron adorned with his “New SC” logo while going table to table, meeting with diners at the lunch buffet of one of the state’s largest Black churches.

State Rep. Jermaine Johnson, who faces an uphill battle in his bid for the governor’s office, stopped by Brookland Baptist Church on Wednesday to serve food and chat with potential voters in the banquet hall where anyone can get some Southern cooking for lunch five days a week. Johnson’s visit coincided with seniors’ discount day.

“It’s a smart move because out here on Wednesday, there’s senior citizens, right? We know what we want,” said Leonard Taylor, 79, who was among roughly 100 people eating lunch at the time. “We have to have people who come and talk with us, hear us.”

Janice Rumph, 83, also applauded the campaign strategy, while noting she’d already voted for him.

“He could meet a lot of people here, common people, and people our age that really would vote,” said Rumph, who cast an all-Democrat ballot in early voting. “The idea of him stopping by and greeting us made me more relaxed, you know, meeting him in person.”

It was one of seven stops for the day on his public schedule, following a virtual fundraiser Tuesday evening with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Listening in required at least a $100 donation. It’s unclear how much was raised, and the campaign didn’t say how many people joined the online meeting.

Johnson defied odds in the SC gubernatorial primary. Now people want to know if he can do it again.

But for Johnson, who’s relying on personal connections with voters to overcome a fundraising deficit, those numbers matter less than getting people involved.

That’s “the most important thing. It’s a historical moment. This is why people are so excited,” said the 41-year-old former professional basketball player.

A win next week would make him the first Black governor of South Carolina and first Democrat elected to the office in 28 years.

He faces Republican Alan Wilson, the state’s attorney general since 2010, who’s on a two-week bus tour of the state. Guests on his campaign bus include Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.

Johnson said he wants South Carolinians to “understand they have a real choice and opportunity” this election.

“I’m going to keep getting out there to let them know that their issues are my issues that they will not be forgotten,” he said.

The best part of the call with Harris, he said, was introducing his 13-year-old daughter to the former vice president.

“You are the reason we are all doing what we do. First of all, you have to know how important you are to all of us,” Harris told Khloe, one of Johnson’s three children.

“And one of the things that I would say to all of us, but in particular to you, my young leader, is always remember you don’t have to ask anybody’s permission to lead,” she said. “You were born a leader, and you have clearly already decided to activate your leadership, and that makes us so proud.”

SC Democrats rally with Georgia US senator ahead of early voting

The 10-minute virtual conversation with Harris followed Johnson’s appearances alongside other potential presidential contenders already crisscrossing South Carolina, the first state on Democrats’ 2028 nominating calendar.

Democrats he’s campaigned beside include former White House adviser Rahm Emanuel, California Rep. Ro Khanna, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, and Georgia Sen. Ralphael Warnock.

“Everywhere I go, people are like, ‘I already know who you are. I know who you are. I’m going in here to vote for you’, even if they don’t know other people on the ballot,” Johnson told the SC Daily Gazette. “They’re saying that they know who I am because they know that I’ve been showing up in their communities. So, they’re excited, and I’m excited about the opportunity.”

President Donald Trump is set to rally in Rock Hill on Thursday to boost Republican turnout — his second rally in two weeks in a state considered ruby red.

Johnson will also be in Rock Hill, where he’s rallying hours later with Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett.

Unlike the U.S. Senate contest in South Carolina, polls don’t show him in a tight race with Wilson. But Johnson said he’s optimistic regardless of what the pollsters are reporting.

He pointed to the recent rise in registered voters in the nation’s fastest-growing state.

According to state Election Commission data, 3.4 million South Carolinians were registered to vote as of Oct. 1, an increase of about 73,000 since the year began.

He contends many of those new voters are Democrats, though it’s impossible to know since South Carolinians don’t register by party.

“These are individuals who are fired up about coming to vote for me,” Johnson said. “So, whatever these polls are showing, it is not accounting for all these new voters that are out there. It’s not accounting for the people that are excited.”

Early voting runs through Saturday. Election Day is Tuesday.