The runner-up in last week’s Democratic primary runoff for the District 41 seat in the S.C. State House has filed a protest with the state party.
Annie E. McDaniel, who lost to MaryGail Douglas by nearly 1,000 votes in the June 26 runoff, filed a protest with the State Democratic Party Friday, claiming that Douglas did not file her Statement of Economic Interest (SEI) at the same time she filed her Statement of Intention for Candidacy (SIC), as mandated by a recent ruling of the S.C. Supreme Court (Anderson v. S.C. Election Commission).
“The Court clarified that filing a paper copy of an SEI simultaneously with the filing of an SIC is the only method by which a non-exempt candidate can comply,” McDaniel’s protest states.
The McDaniel campaign also states that the Fairfield County Democratic Party did not hold a meeting in order to properly certify candidates following the Court’s decision.
Ernest Yarborough, who is acting as media consultant for the McDaniel campaign, said the issue is simply about the rule of law.
“No one is above the law,” Yarborough said. “MaryGail Douglas slipped through the cracks, and that’s not fair. She should simply resign.”
Tangee Bryce Jacobs, Chairwoman of the Fairfield County Democratic Party, could not be reached for comment; however, an official inside the County Party, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the County Party has never met, nor was it ever instructed to meet, in order to certify candidates.
“We followed the State Party’s instructions to the letter,” the Party official said.
Furthermore, the Party official added, Douglas did, in fact, file all of her paperwork on time and in accordance with the Court’s ruling.
“All of my paperwork was filed properly,” Douglas said Monday. “I really don’t understand. There are people who live in chaos and when things don’t go their way, there’s a trigger they pull and aim it at whoever gets in their way. They like to throw fits, and this is a Fairfield County fit. This sort of thing seems to follow some people.”
McDaniel is requesting that the State Party declare Douglas ineligible as a candidate. She is also requesting that subpoenas be issued to County Party officials, with a request for them to appear with all records at a hearing to establish the allegations.
Phone calls to McDaniel, as well as to the State Party, were not returned at press time.