SC presidential primaries play different roles in delegate selection process

South Carolina’s upcoming presidential preference primaries Feb. 20 (Republican) and Feb. 27 (Democratic) – may have greater national implications than usual in this unusual presidential election year.

Unusual surely is an understatement in describing the presidential races. A Democratic super-delegate, Boyd Brown, says he can’t support Bernie Sanders (too far left) or Hillary Clinton (lack of core values, Brown claims) so he may back a Republican in November. Brown is technically committed to Martin O’Malley, who dropped out.

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, not unexpectedly, endorsed Marco Rubio, as did U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy of Spartanburg. Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida, did well in the Iowa caucuses, placing close to the second place Donald Trump. The latter first congratulated winner Ted Cruz, then declared Cruz won by fraud. After Iowa, at least three Republicans bowed out of the overcrowded field.

Cruz, the anti-establishment Texas senator, has not a single supporter among his fellow senators. Republican voting across the Palmetto State also could boost the elective strength of establishment candidates such as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush or Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Going into the last week of New Hampshire campaigning, Kasich said he would go home if he did not do well in New Hampshire. The Bush campaign, running well below expectations of many Republicans, had plans for an aggressive campaign here.

For Democrats, too, the Iowa voting was hardly decisive. Bernie Sanders of Vermont very nearly beat Hillary Clinton, whose margin of victory was razor-thin. Sanders has some of the same populist appeal of Cruz and Trump.

S.C. Democratic voting on Feb. 27 may illustrate much more Clinton strength among Southern voters than has been suggested. The former secretary of state, U.S. senator from New York and first lady is likely to benefit from her husband’s continuing popularity across demographic lines of age, gender and race.

For both major parties, presidential and vice presidential candidates are nominated by delegates to national political conventions. Delegate selection is determined by the national and state party organizations. The delegate selection process works something like the Electoral College (Constitution of the United States) that ultimately elects presidents and vice presidents. They are not elected directly, but by electors from every state.

The states’ laws determine if the candidate winning the popular vote receives all of the electors’ votes, the typical winner-take-all allocation.

For the nomination process, S.C. Republicans have a total of 50 delegates, 26 at-large, 21 from the seven congressional districts and 3 automatic, for the Republican National Convention July 18-21 in Cleveland.

S.C. delegate selection is not entirely winner-take-all. As explained in the FHQ Delegate Allocation report, if a candidate wins the statewide vote Feb. 20 and in each of the congressional districts, it’s effectively winner-take-all. Congressional district delegates may be allocated differently. In 2012, for example, Newt Gingrich won the state Republican vote but lost in one of the districts, giving Mitt Romney that district’s two delegates.

In 2008, John McCain won the state but split the then six congressional districts with Mike Huckabee, giving the former Arkansas governor six delegates.(Huckabee departed the 2016 race saying it was because of illness: “People are sick of me.” He should have an award for self-effacing humor.)

The state Democratic Party describes the First-in-the-South Feb. 27 vote as the “first step in the process to be elected as a national delegate” to the late July National Convention in Philadelphia. Counties hold precinct meetings and then county conventions to elect delegates to the April 30 State Convention in Columbia. National delegates (59, with 4 alternates) are chosen at the state convention. The total delegation includes 32 men and 31 women.

While some political pundits suggest Trump effectively has the Republican nomination, we suggest caution in jumping on that bandwagon. There are months and many state primary elections to go before the Republican and Democratic national conventions nominate their presidential tickets.

And this month, on Feb. 20 or Feb. 27, registered S.C. voters can participate in the nomination process. We encourage everyone to take the opportunity to have a say in the outcome. Voters are not registered by party, and may choose whichever primary they wish, but not both.

Granted, it’s indirect participation, but that’s how it works.

This story was originally published February 8, 2016 at 9:42 AM with the headline "SC presidential primaries play different roles in delegate selection process."