Clay Middleton is trying hard to pull a comeback win in the District 111 race. Charleston City Councilman Wendell Gilliard pulled in 46 percent of the vote, but it wasn’t enough to win the seat outright. He’ll be facing Middleton in a run-off election on Tuesday, June 24.
Middleton, well aware that it’ll be difficult to overcome his deficit, has challenged Gilliard to a debate. Getting more face time in the district and in the press is key in both attracting new voters and getting his folks back to the polls.
Gilliard told the Post and Courier that he hasn’t been invited to a debate. If he had, he’d likely decline. The potential loss of voters disappointed in the lack of a debate is minimal at this point. And Middleton’s excitement for a face-off suggests he sees it as a step up and Gilliard knows better than to offer a ladder.
What Middleton needs to do is what he’s likely doing — shaking hands like nobodies business and hitting community meetings and church groups. Bring up the lack of debate by questioning whether Wendell Gilliard is already taking the district’s voters for granted.
One Comment
I first met Clay Middleton in May of 2005, just after he had returned from his tour of duty in Iraq. A year. An entire year in that awful place, yet the dove in me was able to respect him for what he had done - serve my country in a way that I myself never could. The more I talked with him, the more I respected him. I remember the next day at work telling a good friend, “One day we’re going to see Clay Middleton’s name on a ballot. I just feel it.” I never dreamed that one day would be in 2008!
I feel that I know Clay. His opponent? I know only his reputation. Wendell Gilliard has been in the public eye for many years. In fact, before I became a part of the Charleston community, I knew him only from what I’d read in the papers and seen on TV - an activist who takes pride in thrusting his personal agenda and morals upon the citizens of Charleston. I watched in dismay when he hounded young college students about enjoying Marion Square, a public park for public people. He spent so much valuable city council time on a personal issue; I think he’s the only person who rode by that square just to see how many students were sunbathing. It would have been so much easier if he’d taken another route, wouldn’t it, and saved us all a lot of grief?
I’d run into Clay from time to time since that first meeting, helping him with a community education project, seeing him at state and local Democratic party functions, running into him at various campaign events in the Lowcountry. Clay always made a point to speak to me wherever and whenever our paths crossed. Though Mr Gilliard and I worked closely together on another campaign last year, I still have to introduce myself to him each time we meet.
I was not a bit surprised when Clay Middleton told me early this year that he was going to run for South Carolina House Seat 111. I thought it to be perfect for him. He was reared and educated right here in Charleston, not just elementary and high school, but college as well. For anyone to do well at The Citadel proves there’s something special, something uniquely strong about a person.
When the time came for me to decide who to support in the District 111 race, it was a no-brainer. Would it be the man who loves having the cameras pointing to controversy or the man who doesn’t beg for headlines, the man with integrity and vision?
They say past performance is indicative future success. I’ve compared the past performances of the candidates in this runoff.
I’ll cast my vote for Clay Middleton’s performance.