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While speaking at the Allendale Democratic Party's headquarters, California Gov. Newsom emphasized the reshoring of manufacturing jobs that has occurred during the Biden administration.
California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks with Democratic voters in Allendale on January 24.
Gov. Newsom of California speaks to the crowd in Allendale during his tour in South Carolina.
Ahead of the Democratic Primary on February 3, The People-Sentinel interviewed voters about the current state of the presidential election and the issues important to them. Common frustrations were observed surrounding the lack of debates between the candidates, the small number of candidates on the ballot, and the two-party system.
There are three candidates on the ballot in the Democratic Primary: Incumbent President Joe Biden, author Marianne Williamson and Congressional representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota. Early voting began on January 22. On January 24, California Governor Gavin Newsom visited the Allendale County Democratic Party, as part of a trip across South Carolina that involved stops at Hilton Head Island and Bamberg.
Voter frustrations
Voter Arnetta Hulen, who attended Newsom’s event in Allendale, said she is frustrated with the current tone of the presidential race and the lack of a wider pool of candidates. In the 2020 Democratic primary, 29 major candidates competed for the nomination.
“I’m feeling sad because there’s so much confusion,” said Hulen. “Why aren’t there any debates? If they think that Biden and Harris are who we need to deal with, then so be it. I would like to see someone else maybe get into the race.”
Although several voters voiced support for the economic legislation passed by the Biden administration, concerns were raised about the Democratic Party’s messaging.
“I think the Democratic Party really needs to do a better job with their messaging,” said Nate Hartley. “They’re talking way over the average person’s head. … Nobody is really talking about how we reach that person that feels like [the Democrats are] just looking out for the big guy.”
During Newsom’s visit, a voter asked Newsom about Biden’s age and if he has the cognitive abilities to continue holding the office of the presidency. Biden is currently the oldest president in American history and if re-elected, Biden would be 86 by the end of his second term (former president Donald Trump would also be 82 years old if he were to be re-elected). Newsom said his personal experiences with Biden differ from the media coverage of Biden’s age.
“I’ve been with the president more than most governors for all the right and wrong reasons,” Newsom told the crowd. “I do not understand that narrative. This guy is next level energy in private. I'll take him at 100 years old versus anyone else at whatever age.”
Democratic voters interviewed also expressed distress with the lack of larger economic and social changes that they believe are needed in their communities. Lottie Lewis, a community leader in Allendale County, attributed this to the lack of needed leadership from elected officials.
“I’m talking about elected officials who don't care enough about us to come and say, ‘I care what you need,’” said Lewis. “Just because we don't have the businesses that other folks have, just because we might not have the jobs that other folks have we want those things we need those things.”
Money in Democratic primary
The political isolation of small, rural communities is widely attributed by political scientists to the influence of money in politics. Behind both the Democratic and Republican primary are SuperPACs, which are political action committees that raise unlimited amounts of money from wealthy donors. These SuperPACs fund advertisements that are put out through media outlets and social media.
Sarah Bryner is the Director of Research and Strategy at OpenSecrets, a non-profit organization that tracks how money moves through politics and elections. Bryner said that although different parties may take money from donors from different industries, they have the same influence over political decision making.
“Transparency around who’s funding these advertisements is critically important,” Bryner said. “There is evidence that once elected, elected officials are more likely to hold meetings with donors than their constituents; That speaks directly to this problem where the wealthy can buy access.”
Bryner said that since Biden is the incumbent president and has a higher chance of being reelected, the Biden campaign has not spent as much money on the primary than the Republican primary race, which is more competitive. New campaign finance information on the primaries will be published on January 31, which will offer a larger look into money being spent on the primary election.
“On the Democratic side, you’re going to look at big unions, tech companies [like] Google and Meta, and then a lot of money from small donors,” Bryner said. “He gets support from sort of traditional donors, [like] unions, tech [and] Wall Street. Biden has never taken any kind of anti-corporate pledge.”
Visit from Gavin Newsom
Newsom began his visit by discussing the tone of the 2024 presidential election and the role of social media algorithms in elevating divisive politics.
“I hope we all pause and reflect upon that,” Newsom said. “If you’re feeling a little uneasy, it makes sense because of all you’ve gone through. … Right now, it’s just a doom loop of negativity coming our way.”
While talking with the crowd, Newsom praised the Biden administration’s policy accomplishments, which he said have been lost in media coverage and as a result aren’t in the minds of average voters.
“[During] the first three years of the administration 14.3 million jobs — literally 10 times more than the last three Republican administrations combined — [is] the record of job creation in the Biden-Harris administration,” Newsom said. “They just came out with the latest numbers: 800,000 net new manufacturing jobs have already come back to the United States of America.”
Although policies like the CHIPs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law have created new jobs and manufacturing jobs, Newsom’s claim lacked context; Much of the 14.3 million new jobs that entered the market since Biden took office in January 2021 came from the reopening of the economy following the pandemic, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Newsom also stressed the achievements of the IRA, which contains billions in subsidies for renewable energy technology. These subsidies are manifesting themselves locally, with a new solar manufacturing plant opening in Orangeburg County, and solar farms popping up throughout Barnwell and Allendale counties, as previously reported by The People-Sentinel.
“Look at what they’ve done on climate,” Newsom said. “There's no president in American history that's done more to change the way we produce and consume energy to transition to a low carbon, green growth agenda. No president in history has done more on renewables.”
However, the IRA also mandates the leasing of land for oil and gas projects. Additionally, since taking office, the Biden administration has approved new fossil fuel leases at a pace faster than the Trump administration. These leases, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, will put the global economy and earth’s habitability in jeopardy by accelerating global heating.
When The People-Sentinel asked Newsom about this contradiction, Newsom called it “an interesting dichotomy.”
“At the same time, we have more renewables [than] at any time in our history,” Newsom said. “I also understand the tension, and I think the president's balanced it well because if you look directionally, renewables are going to dominate and overtake and we're already in that transition.”
In a statement, Democratic Congressman Jim Clyburn, who serves as the national co-chair of the Biden campaign, praised the Biden administration’s industrial policies and the administration’s expansion of broadband access.
“Thanks to Joe Biden, seniors in Allendale are already benefiting from the $35/month cap on insulin; roads, and bridges all over Allendale County are being repaired; and water systems in Allendale are being updated,” Clyburn wrote. “I have talked to people from Allendale who have had their student loan debt forgiven.”
Despite frustrations, nearly all of the voters The People-Sentinel spoke with expressed the importance of voting in the primary: “I'm gonna do everything I possibly can to get as many people out to vote as possible for the primaries,” said Hulen.
