Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Republican Ralph Norman and Democrat Archie Parnell, the candidates to fill South Carolina's vacant 5th Congressional District seat, join Mike Collins to discuss the upcoming special election.
In two weeks, voters in South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District decide a special election for the seat vacated by Republican Mick Mulvaney, President Trump’s budget director. It’s one of five special elections nationwide that analysts are treating as early referenda on the Trump administration.
Former state House member Ralph Norman, who was unsuccessful in a bid for the seat a decade ago, captured the Republican nomination in a May runoff by just 221 votes. Democrats nominated Archie Parnell, a first-time office seeker, tax attorney and former Goldman Sachs adviser.
Like President Trump, Norman is touting his business experience, which could help in a district Trump carried last fall by nearly 20 points. Democrats, as they have in other states, are hoping dissatisfaction with the Trump presidency will generate turnout. And while that strategy has helped improve Democrats’ performance in other special elections, none of the vacated Republican seats have turned blue.
This hour, we talk to Ralph Norman and Archie Parnell.
GUESTS
Ralph Norman, Republican nominee, South Carolina 5th Congressional District; former South Carolina House member (@RalphNorman)
Archie Parnell, Democratic nominee, South Carolina 5th Congressional District (@Archie4Congress)