Edwards captures dissatisfied S.C. voters

Horribly hoarse in the last days of the S.C. campaign, John Edwards may not have made much noise, but what did come out of his mouth sounded very “South Carolina.”

To S.C. Democratic primary voters, the North Carolina senator seemed measured and familiar — the kind of moderate they typically support.

He took South Carolina, the state he said he needed to win to stay in the race. Second place went to Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.

Edwards scored big in nearly all groups — men, women, blacks, whites, veterans, pro-war voters, those opposed to the war in Iraq and especially those worried about the economy.

He won big in the Piedmont and the Pee Dee, which accounted for more than half the ballots cast statewide. He won by smaller margins in the Midlands and the Lowcountry, where a generally more urban, wealthy and liberal electorate has an easier time warming up to a New Englander.

Edwards tapped into veins of mild to deep dissatisfaction within Democratic, and independent, ranks. He did not win over the very angry — those furious with President Bush who want the White House door to hit him on his way out. The very angry do not make up a significant voting block in South Carolina.

A majority of those who went to the polls described themselves as “moderate” or “conservative.” When asked about Bush, 60 percent said they were either “dissatisfied, but not angry” or “satisfied, but not enthusiastic.”

And most — 59 percent — said they picked a candidate because they like him on the issues, as opposed to his ability to oust the sitting president. Edwards took these issue voters by more than 19 percentage points over Kerry.

Of the minority who preferred the candidate with the best chance of taking the White House, Kerry bested Edwards by 15 points.

“I hope he could beat Bush in November. I’m not sure of it. I voted for him more because I like him,” said Judith McGinnis, an Edwards supporter from Columbia’s Heathwood neighborhood who said education is her most important issue.

McGinnis, like many who voted for Edwards, added that she also appreciated his status as a native son. Born in Oconee County, Edwards lived there for his first 10 years and made much of his S.C. roots.

“He understands our issues,” McInnis said.

By wide margin, the top issue for S.C. voters was the economy and jobs, according to a poll by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International.

Edwards’ gentle populism spoke to that concern, and he won 55 percent of those voters who said it drove their choice. Stumping around the state, and in his television ads, the first-term senator called himself the son of mill workers and promised to address the plight of those who were living in the bleaker of the “two Americas.”

“He can relate to what we are dealing with in the South,” said Richard Rouse, an Edwards voter from Lower Richland. The corporate chef said Edwards’ speeches about “haves” and “have-nots” resonated with him.

“I shouldn’t have to ship my son to a Lexington school district just so he can get a good education,” he said.

Rouse also said he was pleased to vote for a “a local, a South Carolinian.”

Like most African-Americans who voted Tuesday, Rouse did not choose the one black candidate among the seven in the race.

Less than one in five black voters chose Pentecostal minister Al Sharpton, who, with Edwards, spent more time in South Carolina than any other candidates. Two percent of white voters came out for Sharpton.

Hosea Wheeler of North Augusta was one African-American who heard Sharpton preach and decided to vote for him, even though he considers him too liberal on abortion and gay marriage. He said, as a black man, he didn’t see any other candidate taking on the civil rights issues that Sharpton speaks about so passionately.

But Wheeler, a tile contractor, said he also is not surprised that about 80 percent of S.C. blacks did not vote for Sharpton.

“They probably don’t think he can win. And it’s his reputation. Many people think of him as a con artist,” Wheeler said, referring to Sharpton’s gravitation toward the limelight of controversial civil rights cases.

Reach Markoe at (202) 383-6023 or lmarkoe@krwashington.com.