‘Hateful politics starter kit.’ Election mail roils Cayce mayor’s race
The Cayce’s mayor’s race is being rocked two weeks out from the election by a piece of mail.
Many residents of the city have been mailed a flier attacking mayoral candidate Abbott “Tre” Bray. The postcard-sized mailer shows Bray’s yard sign alongside a MAGA “Make America Great Again” logo, women dressed as handmaids from “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and a Pride flag crossed out. Above the images is text saying: “The ‘I don’t like it when you call me racist/sexist/hateful even though I support racist/sexist/hateful politics’ starter kit.”
In a video posted to Facebook, Bray said similar material had been plastered on his campaign signs, and even in a bathroom at Piecewise Coffee on State Street.
“I’m sorry that they’re targeting each of you for being tired, wanting change after 15 years, and tired of your taxes doubling, and I’m sorry that they’re generalizing that all conservatives are racist or sexist,” Bray says in the video. “I will love and fight for everybody in Cayce, regardless of their beliefs or who you vote for.”
Mayor Elise Partin put out her own statement not only denying her campaign had anything to do with the document, but calling it a “dirty trick” meant to boost her opponent.
She points out no political organization is identified as the sender of the mailer, and one she saw was stamped and posted as being mailed from Greenville, none of which is standard for professional election material or in line with state campaign laws.
“Because of those similarities — and the potential illegality of anonymous spending — I’ve forwarded copies to the state Ethics Commission,” Partin said in a statement. “And I’m urging Cayce voters to beware of last-minute dirty tricks and any anonymous information they might receive in the final days before the election.”
She points out that Bray’s consulting firm, First Tuesday Strategies, previously worked on the 2020 Republican primary for a Chapin-area Lexington County Council seat. Before now-Councilwoman Charli Wessinger won that race, residents received mailers claiming to be from “Democrats for Charli,” while road signs with the same slogan appeared in prominent locations around the district.
There were no other indications any such group existed, and Wessinger and others called the material an attempt to undermine her candidacy in an all-Republican race.
“As my opponent is likely aware, the political consulting firm he’s using is the same firm that was running the campaign against her,” Partin said. “I strongly suspect he knows more than he’s letting on about where this anonymous card came from. If he doesn’t, he’ll surely join me in calling for an investigation.”
Bray says he’s spoken with his campaign team about the mailer, and everyone on his side has told him “they had nothing to do with it.” He said he’s also referred the matter to both local and state law enforcement.
“I would love for them to find who did it,” Bray said.
Partin’s statement says the mailer appears to have been deliberately sent to Republican voters, while Bray said he believes supporters who display his yard signs have been targeted.
Bray said he doesn’t believe Partin is responsible for the cards, but he said she was quicker to blame him for the mailer than to address their message.
“If you look at her statement, you’ll notice she denounces the dirty trick, but she doesn’t denounce the message,” Bray said. “That’s intentional wordplay. That’s big-city politics, and it’s not what Cayce should be like.”
But Partin said the point of the mailer is to get people angry and distracted from the bread-and-butter issues of a local election, which she said the cards completely avoid.
“None of that is what this race is about,” she said. “Our city can’t afford Washington-style politics in a race for a nonpartisan position. Folks need to know that the trains run on time, that’s what this is about.”
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