|
 So when Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton visited
Denmark earlier this month promising to transform the region into a
"Corridor of Opportunity," Odom-Bell felt reassured.
"It’s almost like we’re a forgotten town," she said, describing her
surprise at Clinton's visit to the town of 3,500. "With her, there’s
a connection. I don’t have that with Bernie," she said, referring to
Clinton rival Bernie Sanders.
Clinton is poised to win big over the U.S. senator from Vermont in
South Carolina's primary contest on Saturday, in part because of her
outsized support among the state's rural black poor - a bloc that
Sanders has struggled to impress.
Interviews with residents in Bamberg and Allendale counties show her
appeal is not just about the differences in her social policies, or
her widespread name recognition. It also results from her up-close
campaigning style.
Over the past several weeks, she has stumped in parts of the state
that are off the beaten-path, reinforcing connections with audiences
that stretch back decades, and peppering her speeches with the names
of local leaders.
Sanders in contrast, has focused his visits on South Carolina's big
cities and universities, rallying large audiences with his
self-styled Democratic socialist platform, while relying heavily on
surrogates to do his work elsewhere.
Plans offered by Sanders to address wealth inequality and improve
access to education and healthcare have attracted interest, but many
complain they do not feel they know him well enough to vote for him.
"Both of them are good candidates, but I’m leaning Hillary," said
Marion Roberts, a 65-year-old retiree having coffee at a fast food
restaurant on Allendale’s main street, where many storefronts are
shuttered.
"Sanders talks good, but I know more about her."
Allendale County’s 10,000 residents are nearly three-fourths black,
and its unemployment rate, at about 9 percent, is nearly double the
national average.
About a third of the county's population lives below the poverty
line, making it fertile ground for candidates shopping progressive
social policies.
SOUTHERN FIREWALL
Clinton’s campaign has said South Carolina will act as an early
"firewall" against Sanders, who beat her in New Hampshire's primary
and posted strong showings in Iowa and Nevada, but is expected to do
worse as the race shifts south.
Nationwide, Sanders has built on his popularity with young and
liberal voters to narrow the race to a statistical dead heat. But
Clinton still holds a massive 40 percentage point advantage among
black Democrats, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling.
[to top of second column] |
Clinton’s advantage results in part from her husband Bill Clinton's
outreach to black voters during his presidency. Some voters also
like that Hillary Clinton has promised to build on President Barack
Obama’s agenda.
Allendale City Mayor Ronnie Jackson, for example, says he is backing
Clinton in part because Allendale, a town of about 3,800, depends on
money under an Obama administration stimulus program for
impoverished communities. He hopes Clinton would continue the
support.
"That’s the only way we can survive,” he said.
But he also points to differences in the way she and Sanders have
campaigned. Sanders supporters have contacted him repeatedly by
phone, he said, but he saw Clinton in the flesh at Denmark town hall
on Feb. 12, just half an hour away.
Over the summer, Clinton also hosted a listening session for local
leaders, many from rural areas, and she recently won the endorsement
of U.S. congressman Jim Clyburn, the only South Carolina Democrat in
the House of Representatives.
Sanders, meanwhile, has touted his college civil rights activism,
met with black civil rights leaders and hosted an event at a
historically black college. Some of those efforts have shown signs
of success among young blacks.
But his campaigning in rural areas has been mainly by proxy -
including a visit on Monday to Allendale by campaigners organized by
National Nurses United. Sanders himself moved on to other states in
the run up to Saturday's primary, while Clinton continued to
campaign daily there.
James Fitts, an 80-year-old Allendale resident, said he likes
Clinton's approach. "She’s been in it a long time."
(Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Steve Orlofsky)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
