The South Carolina Election Commission has semi-official election returns on its web page. The percentages for each party are: Republican 54.04%; Democratic 41.86%; Working Families Party 3.35%; Green .48%. UPDATE: here is a picture of the ballot, courtesy of The Independent View.
The Working Families Party and the Democratic Party each had the same candidate, Elizabeth Colbert Busch. This is the best showing the Working Families Party has ever made in the district. In 2010 it received 1.78% in the First District, and in 2012 it received 1.86%. As in this 2013 special election, the Working Families Party also cross-endorsed the Democrat in 2010 and 2012. Thanks to Michael for the link.
Shocked at how low Platt’s vote total is. Not even 1%.
Half a percent? HALF A PERCENT?! I have never seen a total so low for a Green before in a Congressional election (even LeAlan Jones got over 1%, and he was running in a ridiculously D-favoring district with similarly questionable voting habits…). Either I gave the average intelligence of that district too much credit, or something’s fishy. Probably the first unfortunately…
There have been other Green Party nominees for U.S. House who got a smaller percentage than .48%. In 2012, the Green running in the Texas 14th district got .43%. In 2010, the Green running in the Tennessee 5th district got .22% (but he didn’t have the “Green” label). In 2008, the Green running in the Connecticut 4th district got .44%.
P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
Candidate/incumbent replacement lists to fill vacancies.
NO more very high cost special primaries and general elections.
It’s a combination of two things in my opinion:
1. Those who might have voted Green gave into the pressure to vote for the duopoly;
2. As conservative as SC is, there probably aren’t many Greens there to begin with. Most third party voters are probably Libertarian/Constitution. Richard can correct me if I’m wrong.
In spite of all of the above, I was expecting much more than half a percent.
No surprise here umfortunately. Pre polls seem to state higher numbers then election day results. Very sad.
There is a nice interview with Eugene in the local Patch today. I think Eugene puts it very well. There are also a couple of good points from Dr. David Gillespie, a political scientist who specializes in minor party politics. Dr. Gillespie is on the SC Green Party steering committee.
http://goosecreek.patch.com/articles/despite-loss-platt-sees-positive-future-for-green-party-in-sc
The SCGP press release is here. I wrote it, and I think it makes a good point about the Working Families Party misleading a few thousand pro-union voters into supporting an anti-union candidate.
http://scgreenparty.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/south-carolina-green-party-thanks-eugene-platt/