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Carol and Don Folwer are two of South Carolina's eight superdelegates. (Photo by Paula Illingworth)
By Lisa Lopez Snyder
Contributing Writer
Political power couple Carol and Don Fowler will most likely be called on to help decide the Democratic presidential nominee. They are two of South Carolina’s eight superdelegates, and like most of the country voting in the Democratic race, they are divided in their support.
Carol Fowler, chairwoman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, has pledged her support to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. Don Fowler, former Democratic National Committee chairman during Bill Clinton’s presidency, supports New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.
It was Clinton’s exposure and participation in the national arena as first lady that drew Don Fowler’s support. “She has more experience, both diplomatically and internationally,” he said. “She has traveled to over 80 countries and as first lady has represented our country, and had the opportunity to serve in a major capacity.” He cited her proposals and stances on health care, education, job creation and trade as key factors as well. “She is an intelligent and wise leader,” he said.
For Carol Fowler — a longtime political figure who has held party positions at the state and national levels over the years — it was Obama’s appeal to, and his work with, diverse constituencies that led her to decide to support him. “I saw what his campaign did in South Carolina and what they did in other states, and the value they placed on individuals who want to be involved,” she said.
“Many campaigns fail because they thought they could do it with television and with just a few paid staff, and every single person who wanted to be involved in the Obama campaign had an opportunity to do so. To my mind, that’s how you win an election,” she said.
These views are indicative of the debate that has been raging in Democratic circles as the party searches for a presidential nominee for the party. Several months after Obama’s decisive 55% to 27% win in South Carolina’s primary held Jan. 26, when an unprecedented 500,000 South Carolinians turned out to vote, the political heat is now focused on whether the vote of the superdelegates, elected officials and political leaders, could decide the party’s nominee.
The Democratic presidential nominee needs 2,025 delegates to win. With the number of delegates each candidate has currently, neither will receive enough delegates to win the primary. At SCBIZ press time, Obama led the delegate vote at 1,638 total delegates — compared with Clinton’s 1,502 delegates. As the primaries wind down, however, the focus on which candidate the superdelegates will support continues to heat up and questions remain whether these individuals, who can switch their vote up to the day of the convention, may end up deciding the party’s nominee for president.
In recent years, the Democratic Party has had a presumptive nominee by this time in the primary season. But this year’s presidential race is different: Obama leads the popular vote and the total delegate vote and would be the presumptive nominee. However, Clinton has chosen to remain in the race, allegedly banking on turning the tide of support of uncommitted and Obama-committed superdelegates in her favor.
Of South Carolina’s eight superdelegates, two publicly support Obama and two endorse Clinton. Not all superdelegates have publicly announced which candidate they support, and even if they do, they can switch their votes.
However, as of March 28, DNC Chairman Howard Dean said on the CBS “The Early Show” that he wants superdelegates to make their decision by July 1.
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