SC

Two Rising Democratic Stars Eye Open State Senate Seat

BETH BERNSTEIN, MIA McLEOD SET TO FACE OFF … || By FITSNEWS || South Carolina’s Democratic party can barely fill a statewide slate of candidates … and its history of nominating candidates for the U.S. Senate is, um … we’ll go with “interesting.” Yet while the perpetual minority party is frequently mocked…

BETH BERNSTEIN, MIA McLEOD SET TO FACE OFF …

|| By FITSNEWS || South Carolina’s Democratic party can barely fill a statewide slate of candidates … and its history of nominating candidates for the U.S. Senate is, um … we’ll go with “interesting.”

Yet while the perpetual minority party is frequently mocked by GOP partisans, it wields disproportionate political influence in the Palmetto State.  How come?  Well, let’s start with the fact there’s no real difference between the two political parties – certainly not on bread-and-butter tax, spending and education issues.

The S.C. General Assembly – especially the State Senate – is governed by a fiscally liberal majority comprised of Democrats and left-leaning “Republicans.”  Hell, the most powerful “Republican” in the state – S.C. Senate president and finance chairman Hugh Leatherman – is a “former” Democrat.

And the state’s “conservative” governor Nikki Haley lets him spend tax dollars with impunity …

So while Democrats may have trouble fielding candidates at the statewide level, they leverage their legislative strength exceedingly well … which is where the real power is wielded.

MIA McLEOD
MIA McLEOD

Two rising stars in the Democratic “minority” at the State House?  S.C. Reps. Beth Bernstein and Mia McLeod.

Both are young. Smart. Hard-working.  Attractive.  Both have well-established networks and lots of institutional support.

Both are also running for the South Carolina Senate seat that’s being vacated by S.C. Senator Joel Lourie, who announced this weekend his intention not to seek another term in office.

McLeod, a communications consultant, represents S.C. House District 79 – which encompasses the mostly suburban northeastern part of Richland County (on the outskirts of the capital city of Columbia, S.C.).  Bernstein, an attorney, represents S.C. House District 78 – which stretches through the northeastern corridor of Columbia, S.C.

Both are likely to give up their seats in order to campaign for the Senate.

One GOP candidate – city of Columbia councilman Daniel Rickenmann – is also said to be eying a bid, although any “Republican” candidate would face steep odds given the demographic make-up of the district.

The Bernstein versus McLeod Democratic primary – assuming it pans out – would be interesting.

For starters, it’s odd that two such credible candidates would wind up running against each other.  Typically party leaders get together and figure out which candidate they want to run well in advance.

Clearly that didn’t happen here … or if it did, one of the candidates didn’t get the memo.

“They’re both friends whose circles overlap a lot,” one Democratic operative told FITS. “It’s gonna be so much drama.”

Another Democratic operative confirmed as much, saying a race between Bernstein and McLeod would “be a crazy primary.”

So … who will win?

Good question.

Senate District 22 is predominantly black – which would seem to benefit McLeod.  However, Bernstein is reportedly backed by several “influential African-American leaders,” according to one source we spoke with.  She would also likely receive an endorsement and support on the campaign trail from Lourie.

Perhaps most importantly, Bernstein is likely to enjoy a considerable financial advantage in the event she decides to run.

McLeod?  She’s already in … in fact we’ve already received an email from one candidate, local school board official Monica Elkins, announcing her intention to run for McLeod’s seat in the S.C. House.

***

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44 comments

shifty henry August 3, 2015 at 5:22 pm

—- jus’ too much drama for my Mama..!!

Reply
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Bible Thumper August 3, 2015 at 5:24 pm

Fits will be covering this contest very closely, starting with what shoes they are wearing.

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High Steppin' August 3, 2015 at 6:12 pm

Yes, and that’s a good thing.

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euwe max August 3, 2015 at 6:53 pm

it used to be tits and ass, I hear.

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Superfly August 3, 2015 at 6:27 pm

This is one of those times where I’ll be sending a check to one of the Dems, since no Republican can win the seat. So I’ll be looking for the Beth Bernstein for Senate PO Box to send a love offering real soon, I hope. If you want someone who can actually get something done, Beth over Militant Mia is an easy one.

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Squishy123 August 3, 2015 at 6:32 pm

In who’s drunken world are these two attractive?

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Tazmaniac August 3, 2015 at 6:37 pm

Hic….did sum bum say horrific…..hic?.

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Beth's a Baby Doll August 3, 2015 at 8:21 pm

Apparently y’all got some fucking high standards around here. Beth has always been pretty. Here’s a better pic. Do you have to be Kate Upton to be considered attractive around here?

http://datelinecr.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/HPV.jpg

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flip August 3, 2015 at 8:33 pm

Where does she stand on sucking the brains out of a unborn child and selling the other baby parts for profit?

Does she support Planned Parenthood in Columbia?

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Beth's a Baby Doll August 3, 2015 at 8:43 pm

Like most of us here, she supports retroactive abortions for people named filp and pogo.

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flip August 3, 2015 at 9:04 pm

So Beth supports murder? Thank you for sharing that.it would make a great democrat party commercial.

Not Quite August 4, 2015 at 8:31 am

Sounds more like community service to me. Cleansing the gene pool of inferior genes.

Skynet Did Nothing Wrong August 4, 2015 at 8:33 am

If only the terminators would stop wasting time on the Connor family and do something good for a change.

Fly In The Soup August 4, 2015 at 8:34 am

So much for retroactive abortions, I don’t think the clinic could find your brain to suck out anyways.

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Squishy123 August 3, 2015 at 9:05 pm

She looks like a grown woman with a 5 year old’s unruly hair. She’s average looking at best there’s nothing that stands out with her at all and she’s likely smug as fuck.

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Tazmaniac August 4, 2015 at 7:51 am

Baby Doll? Somewhere between Caitlynn Jenner and Rue Paul.

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The Colonel August 4, 2015 at 10:28 am

Seen her in person – woof.

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Tazmaniac August 3, 2015 at 6:35 pm

Based on the the Freedom hating tripe she has posted here Mia would seem to be the loser in this race. Of course ignorant constituents who don’t read and vote based solely on skin color should make her the shoo-in.

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flip August 3, 2015 at 6:37 pm

oh no (MY)…you mean Mia FaraConn?

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CorruptionInColumbia August 4, 2015 at 6:14 am

Yep. Based on some of yhe blather she has posted on here before, Mia is one of those people who believes that government is always the solution to every problem, via another damn law (kind of like Taylor). I like Beth much better than the whiney woman she replaced, but was disappointed in her plans to introduce annother, needless, stupid gun law in the wake of yhe Charleston tragedy.

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Oh hell no August 3, 2015 at 6:59 pm

So basically the voters have a choice between two liberal women….one who looks like the wicked witch of the west and another who has made a living working for corrupt state agencies. Choices choices.

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flip August 3, 2015 at 7:20 pm

Nurse Ratched vs.Dikembe Mutumbo…ding ding! Why are Democrat Party political elected officials,candidates and operatives ALWAYS so UGLY!

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Your GOP Ladies And Gents! August 3, 2015 at 7:26 pm

You shitbags really do hate women.

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dem women suck August 3, 2015 at 7:28 pm

Just ugly,racist dumb ones that support selling dead babies for profit.

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Fox & Friends August 3, 2015 at 7:32 pm

Stuck on that Right Wing bulkshit the Senate couldn’t even swallow? Republicans for years have supported fetal tissue being used for illnesses.

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dems are 3rd reich August 3, 2015 at 7:39 pm

You people really are disgusting animals that have NO respect for human life.

Why does Planned Parenthood even get federal money with Obamacare in place?

CorruptionInColumbia August 4, 2015 at 6:23 am

Maybe because it’s cheaper than dealing with the overpopulation and other social issues caused by a glut of unwanted, unloved, and undisciplined kids.

Joey Bag of Nuts August 4, 2015 at 1:31 pm

To handle the demands of Conservative high school girls.

Soft Sigh from Hell August 3, 2015 at 7:41 pm

Especially smart vocal ones.

The limpers shrivel.

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Your Average Republican August 4, 2015 at 8:30 am

We don’t hate women.

We wish to empower women.

We want women to feel safe in their workplace.

The home security system can include a sensor by the kitchen door.

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Grand Tango August 4, 2015 at 1:30 pm

Can’t stand them. That’s why I switched teams and am obsessed with gay sex. Women are a total waste of time, ever since Cindy Gentry dump me in the 4th grade. You are horrible creatures simply after our bodily fluids, and should not even be allowed to vote. You’re all American hating liberals – you know what you are!!! #)$(%*#)$(

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Democrat = Rot August 3, 2015 at 8:56 pm

And the winner has the title of “less-smoked cigarette butt in the ashtray.” What an aspiration. Best of luck, gals.

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SC political whiz August 3, 2015 at 9:06 pm

The fat girl in the picture should run too just make it a race for ugly chicks

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Democrat short man syndrome August 3, 2015 at 10:19 pm

If you’re a Democrat and a woman, you have value as a pleasure cushion for their inchworm dudes.

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Bingo August 4, 2015 at 2:02 am

A real bitchfest. Nothing like two women going at it.

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CorruptionInColumbia August 4, 2015 at 8:52 am

I’d rather watch them make love, not war.
:-D

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James August 4, 2015 at 9:55 am

Hate to relay this to Bernstein, but you are dead meat in a head to head in a McCleod race, which will be run, as a proxy on race. What Beth needs to do is find an other plausible black candidate who can guarantee say 20% of the vote, maximize all of the white vote, capture 15% of the black vote, and squeak it out,, just barely in the Primary. In the run-off, the black vote will come home to McCleod and she will prevail from 2nd place. The race issue will not materialize publicly as *the* issue, but it will be *the* issue discussed, shall we say in the barbershops and beauty parlors and at praise meetings. Bernstein may even garner some endorsements from some “prominent” black leaders, but that is merely a game to lend the appearance of support, for future reference, to other white Democrats when they want/need something. Rest assured though, those endorsements are phony, and will not materialize into significant black votes for Beth, and her “black friends” will lie to her, about their support. Beth will believe she has their votes until election night when black precinct by black precint comes in, and she is being trounced, despite being the best candidate, and having been personally promised black votes. That is how all of these races play out today in black majority districts. This is not Clarendon County, she is not John Land, a nd this is not the 70’s. It is, all about that race.

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Senate2 August 4, 2015 at 12:35 pm

Loel has lined up a state job. More that $125,000 per year. If he keeps it 3 years his retirement will go from around 20,000 bucks per year to about 80,000 bucks per year.

Leatherman is looking after his boy.

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Rocky August 4, 2015 at 1:28 pm

Crisco wrestling match – winner gets the job.

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edr August 4, 2015 at 2:45 pm

maymia shantrelle mcleod butler garrick do you think they can get all
of that on the ballot

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edr August 4, 2015 at 8:03 pm

Mia;s bio says she graduated from usc law school, did she ever pass the bar exam ?

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Town Crier August 5, 2015 at 1:31 am

I want Mia to run and win if for no other reason than to piss off Delinda Ridings, who’s still carrying around some tired old grudge about a school board race that Mia weighed in on. Delinda says she’s recruiting a GOP candidate to run. That tells me that Mia must be the stronger candidate among the Dem names being mentioned. Run, Mia, RUN!!

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Adakin Valorem August 5, 2015 at 8:28 am

Which one of the two would consider supporting S-274 Senate Bill… The SC FairTax Act?

Reply

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