South-Carolina
Could Democrats’ change at top of ticket impact down-ballot races in SC?
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – President Joe Biden’s decision to not seek reelection adds even more intrigue to an already closely followed election.
But hundreds of other races will also be on South Carolina ballots this November, many for seats in the state legislature.
For the last few weeks, since the presidential debate, some South Carolina Democrats privately said they were concerned about down-ballot races.
They worried if voters were not motivated by Biden to get to the polls, they likely would not go to cast a ballot for races at the State House, where Democrats can’t afford to lose many seats.
“If we lose one seat in the Senate, [Republicans] will have a supermajority,” Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine said. “We already have an uphill battle most of the time, and so I’m committed to make sure all of our Democratic senators come back. I hope we can add one or two.”
Devine said Democrats are reenergized in a way she hasn’t seen in a while with Vice President Kamala Harris now the party’s de facto nominee.
Devine, a Richland County Democrat, said she personally was not overly concerned about down-ballot races if Biden was still running but believes this switch could help Democrats running for the state legislature.
“It certainly was a concern for me that if people aren’t thinking about the election right now, it’s going to be hard for us to really get that momentum after Labor Day,” she said. “Now with this announcement, we’ve got people who are talking about elections. They’re excited about the election.”
Republicans are close to having a supermajority in the South Carolina Senate, and they already have one in the House of Representatives.
A University of South Carolina political science professor said he believes this could at least get Democratic enthusiasm back to where it was before the debate when panic started to set in for some members of the party.
“It was just like, people were getting disheartened, and people were recognizing this is an election where we just don’t have a chance. So it would have kind of discouraged turnout among Democrats,” USC professor Bob Oldendick said.
South Carolina Republican Party Chair Drew McKissick said this change does not make a difference in his party’s plans for State House and other down-ballot races.
“It’s really all about turnout on our side. If we do our jobs and turn out our voters in a state like South Carolina, we’re going to win and we’re going to win big, no matter who they have on their ticket,” McKissick said.
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An 87-year-old businessman in Columbia, South Carolina says he has no plans to retire.
Leonard Fabrizio works as a retailer at Brittons of Columbia, a locally-owned men’s clothing store.
“I’m not the type of person who can sit around by myself,” said Fabrizio. “I just enjoy the interaction and that’s the big thing, is the interaction with people. It’s always been the drive in this business for me, said Fabrizio.
Fabrizio’s retail career began as a college student when he worked at J.C. Penney. He has watched Columbia grow and has owned a store and managed several others.
His advice is to “Be patient. It takes time to build a business. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s rewarding. It’s fun. But you have to have compassion for the business.”
Fabrizio recently celebrated another birthday alongside those who have supported his career.
(WPDE) — June 9 marked International Batten Disease Awareness Day, shining a light on a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disorder.
It primarily affects children and causes harmful waste material to build up inside the cells of the brain and nervous system.
One South Carolina family used the day to raise awareness as their 2-year-old son, Sam Stockton, lives with CLN2 Batten disease.
Sam was diagnosed at 16 weeks old, and his family says they travel every other week for enzyme-replacement therapy while also searching for clinical research opportunities.
Through Hope for Sam, the family is working to spread information about Batten disease and support other families facing rare diseases.
“Just the more you know about rare diseases, I never knew that over 300 million people worldwide live with rare diseases. And that means there’s less access to care because people aren’t researching it and not as many people have it. So the more information that’s out there, we feel is the better,” Jordan Stockton said.
There are 13 known types of Batten disease, and there is no cure. Researchers estimate the disease affects about two to four out of every 100,000 births in the United States.
The Stockton family says they have found support through the Batten Disease Support, Research and Advocacy Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping families navigate the disease while providing resources.
More information and donation details are available at this link.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — Contestants in the 2026 Miss South Carolina and Miss South Carolina’s Teen competitions will showcase their talents on Thursday at the Township Auditorium.
Miss South Carolina’s Teen’s Got Talent is set to begin at 5 p.m., followed by Miss South Carolina’s Got Talent at 7 p.m.
READ MORE | Miss South Carolina kicks off with preliminary rounds
The talent competitions are part of the weeklong Miss South Carolina Scholarship Organization competition, which brings delegates from across the state to Columbia to compete for scholarships and the opportunity to represent South Carolina on the national stage.
READ MORE | Miss South Carolina’s Teen preliminary round begins
Contestants competed in fitness, evening wear, and onstage question preliminaries on Wednesday, while Miss South Carolina’s Teen contestants completed their preliminary competition on Tuesday.
Preliminary winners include:
Preliminary Fitness Award winners:
- Jenna Huggins, Miss Clemson
- Lindsay Jones, Miss Charleston
- Reagan McMahon, Miss Chapin
Preliminary Evening Gown Award winners:
- Mary Kimball Osborn, Miss Palmetto
- Chelby Drafts, Miss Golden Corner
- Reagan McMahon, Miss Chapin
Teen Preliminary Fitness Award winners:
- Alissa Claire Rhodes, Miss Fox Creek High School’s Teen
- Kamryn Mathis, Miss Greer High School’s Teen
- Logan Wells, Miss Palmetto’s Teen
Teen Preliminary Evening Gown Award winners:
- Logan Wells, Miss Palmetto’s Teen
- Cleo Floyd-Johnstone, Miss Ballentine’s Teen
- Kursten Long, Miss Newberry’s Teen
The Miss South Carolina’s Teen finals are set for Friday night, while the Miss South Carolina finals will take place Saturday.
Watch the 2026 Miss South Carolina Competition LIVE at 8:00 PM on Saturday, June 20. Tune in on WACH FOX 57 in Columbia, ABC 4 in Charleston, ABC 15 in Myrtle Beach/Florence, and My40 in the Upstate.
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