COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina's Democrats are in a bind.

The 2006 elections are on the horizon, but the party faithful aren't finding many willing people to carry the party's banner into that fight. That has left some wondering whether Democrats can recruit candidates to fill out the 2006 ticket.

It's been a long way down for Democrats. Emory University political science professor Merle Black points to the widening gap Democrats face among white moderates in South Carolina, a group that conventional wisdom says they must tap to be competitive.

Exit poll numbers from last year's general election showed 47 percent of white moderates identified themselves as Republicans, 17 percent said they were Democrats and 36 percent said they were independents.

"The Democrats are far away from where they ought to be to win a general election. It must be very demoralizing," Black said.

State party chairman Joe Erwin thinks last year's presidential primary could lay the foundation for a stronger party. It's a long-term building plan that could take 10 to 25 years, Erwin said.

"So we will focus on smaller races," Erwin said.

He wants to recruit candidates for school board, county council, city council, sheriff, and solicitor - jobs that Democrats might have an easier chance of winning than a statewide office.

"We've got to pick a place where we can win, build on that momentum, and create excitement," Erwin said. "I'm not saying that we cannot win at a statewide level now. But almost anybody would have to say if we won at a statewide level it would be an upset."

Democrats are still searching for a candidate for the biggest race of 2006.

They've approached state senators Tommy Moore of Aiken and Yancey McGill of Kingstree to challenge Republican Gov. Mark Sanford.

Charleston Mayor Joe Riley also was sounded out, but offered little encouragement.

Erwin isn't giving up.

"I don't concede anything, and we won't concede anything," he said.

Democrats need to keep the faith, Erwin said.

"Republicans didn't build their party in two years. It was more like a 25-year period," he said.

While Erwin says Democrats may never match Republicans' dominance, "we've got to step up to the plate," he said. "If you do not compete, you cannot win, and we must compete with passion, enthusiasm and a belief that we can and will win eventually."