Democratic National Convention is next up; here's who's going from South Carolina

Savannah Moss, Greenville News
·4 min read

South Carolina Democrats will head to Chicago in the coming days for the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

Sixty-five delegates and five alternates will attend the convention Aug. 19-22. Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, have already accepted the party's nomination for president and vice president in the November election and were certified in a virtual nominating process.

Harris garnered support from 99% of participating delegates. According to DNC data, all 65 South Carolina delegates voted for the vice president.

South Carolina's Jamie Harrison will be in the convention spotlight as the DNC chair. This is the first time Harrison, who lives in Columbia and was elected in 2021, will have full charge of the convention.

Elected officials such as U.S. Rep. James Clyburn an South Carolina State Sen. Margie Bright Matthews will attend the convention, along with party leaders including South Carolina Democratic Party chair Christale Spain and Greenville County Democratic Party Chairman Amanda McDougald Scott.

Clyburn attends the convention as an automatic delegate, which is decided by who is among the state's Democratic members of Congress or members of the Democratic National Committee. Clyburn, the lone Democrat in South Carolina's Washington delegation, was a top ally for President Joe Biden. It was Clyburn's endorsement that propelled Biden to the nomination in 2020.

Clyburn never joined other Democrats' calls for Biden to drop out of the race but endorsed Harris hours after Biden announced his exit. "I echo the good judgment he demonstrated in selecting Vice President Harris to lead this nation alongside him, and I am proud to follow his lead in support of her candidacy to succeed him as the Democratic Party's 2024 nominee for President," he said in a statement.

What to expect at this year's DNC

Kathryn Harvey, chairwoman of the Spartanburg County Democratic Party and candidate for the 4th Congressional District said the convention is an "exciting and historic" time. A first-time delegate, Harvey was not sure what to expect during the roll call but said all 65 ballots cast for Harris were a "testament to how energized people are."

Harvey said several events were planned throughout the convention, such as Southern state events for fellow Democrats to meet.

"I'm excited to be with my peers and some leadership and really have a moment to propel this movement forward," Harvey said.

More: With President Biden out of the race, South Carolina delegates vote to back Kamala Harris

Being held in Chicago for the first time since 1996 when former President Bill Clinton was nominated for his second term, the city is expecting more than 50,000 attendees from across the nation.

The parties host separate conventions every four years where their nominees officially accept the nomination. The Republican National Convention took place in July where former President Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, accepted the nomination.

Democratic National Convention Chair Jaime Harrison speaks at the First-in-the-Nation dinner on Jan. 27 in Columbia, S.C. ahead of the state's Democratic primary on Feb. 3.
Democratic National Convention Chair Jaime Harrison speaks at the First-in-the-Nation dinner on Jan. 27 in Columbia, S.C. ahead of the state's Democratic primary on Feb. 3.

Here’s the full list of South Carolina's delegates and alternates:

Congressional District 1:

  • State Sen. Margie Bright Matthews (Colleton County)

  • Former Beaufort County Democratic Party Chair Blaine Lotz

  • 2nd vice chair Berkeley County Democratic Party Sean McCawley

  • 2nd vice chair South Carolina Democratic Party Mayra Rivera-Vazquez

  • Charleston County Democratic Party Chair Sam Skardon

  • South Carolina Democratic Women’s Council President Melissa Watson

Congressional District 2:

  • State Rep. Heather Bauer (Richland County)

  • State Rep. William Clyburn (Aiken County)

  • Executive committeeman, Aiken Democratic Party James Horch

  • Freddie Houston

  • Richland County Democratic Party chair Valerie Moore

Congressional District 3

  • McCormick County Democratic Party chair Cherry Brown

  • Former Oconee County Democratic Party chair Jody Gaulin

  • R. Allen Moore

Congressional District 4

  • Spartanburg County Democratic chair Kathryn Harvey

  • Greenville County Democratic chair Amanda McDougald Scott

Amanda McDougald Scott, Greenville County Democratic Party Chair, speaks to members of the media, denouncing Ron DeSantis and his visit, before the Florida Blueprint event at First Baptist North Spartanburg, in Spartanburg, S.C. Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a possible GOP presidential candidate, expected to announce a 2024 presidential bid in South Carolina, a state where votes will be critical.

  • Caleb Mickler

  • John MacCarthy

Congressional District 5

  • Former Rock Hill City Council member Nikita Jackson

  • State Rep. Rich King (York County)

  • State Rep. Annie King (Fairfield County)

  • William Robinson

  • Lenore Waterman-Jackson

Congressional District 6

  • 3rd vice chair of SCDP Michelle Brandt

  • Former state Sen. Marlon Kimpson

  • Cody Lidge

  • Clarendon County auditor Patricia Pringle

  • Brady Quirck-Garvan

  • Margaret Sumpter

  • Former Richland County councilwoman Bernice Scott

  • Charleston County auditor Peter Tecklenburg

Congressional District 7

  • Ashon Baker

  • State Executive committee member and Horry County Democratic Party Cedric Blain-Spain

  • Monty Bell

  • Sally Howard

  • Donovan Malloy

Party and elected leaders

  • Barbara Bowman

  • Richland County Treasurer Kendra Dove

  • Angelia Edwards

  • Executive committeeman Richland County Democratic Party Marcurius Byrd

  • 3rd vice chair of Marion County Democratic Party Jaheem McLaurin

  • 2nd vice chair of York County Democratic Party Ryan Stephens

  • State Rep. Ivory Thigpen (Richland County)

At-large delegates

  • Alicia Albergottie

  • Angela Geter

  • Lisa Izzo

  • Dee Dee Johnson-Mikell

  • Bre Spaulding

  • Mattie Thomas

  • Carlton Boyd

  • Former state Rep. Jerry Govan Jr. (Orangeburg County)

  • Chair of the Young Democratic South Carolina Progressive Caucus Austin Jackson

  • Florence City councilmember Chaquez McCall

  • Lachlan McIntosh

  • Former SCDP chair Trav Robertson Jr.

Alternates:

  • Monier Abusaft

  • John Holder

  • Carlton Whidby

  • Laurens County council member Diane Anderson

  • Deborah Breedlove

Automatic delegates:

  • U.S. Rep James Clyburn (D-SC 6th District)

  • DNC chair Jaime Harrison

  • State chair Christale Spain

  • State first vice chair Colleen Condon

  • DNC member Bre Maxwell

  • DNC member Clay Middleton

  • DNC member Carol Fowler

  • DNC member-at-large Kaye Koonce

  • President High School Democrats of America Annika Krovi

  • Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle

Savannah Moss covers politics for the Greenville News. Reach her at smoss@gannett.com or follow her on X @Savmoss.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Who's going to the DNC from South Carolina? Here's a list of delegates