SC’s McLeod ditched the Democratic party. Now, this Democrat is gunning for her Senate seat

State Rep. Ivory Thigpen, a Richland County Democrat and the leader of the Legislative Black Caucus, wants to move up to the state Senate.

Thigpen kicked off his bid Monday for the Senate District 22 seat currently held by state Senate Mia McLeod, an independent who abruptly left the Democratic Party about a year ago after saying the party did not do enough to support Black women candidates and Black voters.

Winning the Democratic nomination will the be the key race in the contest because it’s a heavily Democratic district that mostly lies in Richland County, but has a small portion of Kershaw County, and because of the ability for people to vote straight-party in the General Election.

Thigpen, 45, is a pastor and a chiropractor, serves on the Judiciary and Rules committees in the House.

He was first elected in 2016.

“We need someone who will be bold in making courageous decisions, who will talk about common sense legislation, who will provide leadership not simply through the words they say, but the actions that they take,” Thigpen said.

Richland 2 school board member Monica Elkins also is running for the Senate seat.

McLeod was first elected to the state Senate in 2016 to represent parts of Richland County. She was last reelected to the upper chamber in November 2020 with 62% of the vote. Thigpen said making sure the seat is held by a Democrat is important. McLeod’s departure from the party only left 15 Democrats in the upper chamber, even though she votes with Democrats on most issues.

But with so few Democrats in the chamber, the party is at a “tremendous disadvantage, Thigpen said.

“That puts us in a very dangerous position politically,” Thigpen said. “We cannot deal with vetoes.”

McLeod did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Thigpen said he spent a year trying to convince McLeod to return to the party. He said however she did not make a decision on her path forward.

“The reality of indecision and no decision is a decision and leadership is about decisions,” Thigpen said. “So at this point, we’re moving ahead and a decision has been made and we’re going to stand by that decision. We wish the senator the best of luck and that year waiting for her to make a decision was really so that there will be no pressure put on her because her history speaks for itself.”