Obama’s political endorsement just isn’t what it used to be.
In Columbia, South Carolina, a city that Biden won in 2020 with a wide margin, a Republican candidate just won the race for mayor over a Democrat who had Obama’s blessing.
Is this more evidence of a coming red wave? It sure looks that way.
FOX News reports:
GOP defeats Obama-endorsed candidate in deep blue city that Biden won handily in 2020
Endorsements from former President Obama and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn in reliably blue Columbia, South Carolina, were not enough to push the city’s Democratic mayoral candidate over the finish line.
Republican Daniel Rickenmann, a businessman and Columbia city council member, defeated Democrat Tameika Isaac Devine 52% to 48% on Tuesday night in Columbia, which sits in a county that President Biden carried by almost 40 points in 2020.
Obama, according to Washington Free Beacon, released an audio message in support of Devine. The former president carried the city’s county by 29 points in 2008 and 33 points in 2012.
Clyburn, one of the most prominent Democrats in both the South and the Black community, who many believe saved President Biden’s flailing 2020 campaign with his endorsement, also endorsed Devine.
Columbia has been so reliably blue over the last several years that Republicans didn’t put forth a challenger to Rickenmann’s Democratic predecessor, Mayor Stephen Benjamin.
Congratulations to Republican Daniel Rickenmann.
Columbia, SC has been led by Dem mayors for 30 years. @JoeBiden won this city by 30 points in 2020 and @BarackObama campaigned for the Democrat.
But last night, Republican @Rickenmann had a big win. The red wave is coming! https://t.co/F2r11Ky34v
— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) November 17, 2021
I Have Great News!
Congratulations to Daniel Rickenmann, the next mayor of Columbia, South Carolina.
He won despite Obama endorsing his opponent & the city’s county voting democrat by nearly 40 points in 2020.
— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) November 18, 2021
In Columbia South Carolina Republican mayoral candidate Daniel Rickenmann defeated Democrat Tameika Isaac Devine on Tuesday night. Biden carried Columbia by almost 40 points last year.
This was huge!
— Miles Commodore (@miles_commodore) November 18, 2021
It really looks like the tide is turning and that’s bad news for Dems.
Cross posted from American Lookout.
