By Paul Gable
South Carolina elections never fail to produce drama and the special election to fill the SC Senate District 42 seat, vacated by the resignation of Sen. Robert Ford in May, looks to continue this tradition.
Ford resigned his seat during a May 2013 Senate Ethics Committee investigation into his alleged misuse of campaign funds for personal expenses and failing to report expenses, donations and personal loans.
Ford, a Democrat, served 20 years in the SC Senate representing what is considered a safe Democratic district.
Recently, Ford endorsed candidate Maurice Washington, for SC Senate District 42, in the upcoming August 13th Democratic special election primary.
The best part of this is Washington is a long-term Republican, a fact that Ford acknowledged when he endorsed Washington’s re-election to the South Carolina State University Board of Trustees earlier this spring.
“Maurice Washington has been a faithful and dedicated Republican since 1984,” said an e-mail flyer Ford sent out supporting Washington’s re-election as a trustee. Washington’s public voter file shows he voted in Republican primaries in 1996, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2012.
It’s not known how much the endorsement of Ford is worth after his ethics investigation and subsequent resignation. Obviously, Ford can endorse any candidate he wants in the upcoming election.
Washington may, in fact, be the best candidate in the special election.
But the question must be asked of Washington, why not be honest and file as a Republican candidate?
If Washington won’t stand up for his political affiliation, what else won’t he stand up for?
Charleston County Democratic Party Chair Richard Hricik asked Democratic voters not to vote for Washington in the upcoming special election primary. Read here: http://charlestondemocrats.com/sc_senate_42/
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