Daniel Rickenmann, a businessman, will become the 37th mayor of Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, after winning the city’s election this week.
“Rickenmann’s election marks a change in Columbia’s politics,” The State reported. “While city seats are nonpartisan, Columbia has been led by Democratic mayors for more than 30 years — Bob Coble for 20, and Benjamin for the last 11. Rickenmann is a Republican.”
Rickenmann beat Tameika Isaac Devine 10,550 votes (52%) to 9,751 (48%), according to unofficial numbers released by Richland County.
“I’m just overwhelmed by all the support from the business community, the citizens of Columbia, the young people and the old, a cross section of people,” Rickenmann said. “I’m just excited about the opportunity to serve them and get to work.”
Democrats pulled out all the stops to boost Devine, including having former President Barack Obama and Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) campaign for Rickenmann.
The Free Beacon reported:
The result shows that Democrats’ plummeting popularity extends even to areas the party has historically dominated. Obama, who in a Monday audio message urged Columbia voters to “make history again by showing up for Tameika Isaac Devine,” won the city’s county by 29 points in 2008 and 33 points in 2012. Clyburn, meanwhile, resides in Columbia and has represented major portions of the city since 1993.
Democrat President Joe Biden won Richland County by 38 points during the 2020 election, 68.4% to 30.1%.
Republicans pulled off stunning victories in Virginia’s elections earlier this month, winning the elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and regaining control of the House of Delegates after Democrats had Obama and Biden campaign in the state.
Biden has continued to see his popularity plummet in recent months, including in a new Quinnipiac University poll released this week.
“Americans give President Biden a negative 36 – 53 percent job approval rating, while 10 percent did not offer an opinion,” Quinnipiac reported. “It’s the lowest job approval rating he’s received in a Quinnipiac University national poll. In mid-October, he received a negative 37 – 52 percent job approval rating. In today’s results, Republicans disapprove 94 – 4 percent, Democrats approve 87 – 7 percent, and independents disapprove 56 – 29 percent with 16 percent not offering an opinion.”
The poll noted that Biden had received his lowest grades to date on four major issues, including:
- the response to the coronavirus: 45 percent approve, while 50 percent disapprove;
- climate change: 41 percent approve, while 48 percent disapprove;
- the economy: 34 percent approve, while 59 percent disapprove;
- foreign policy: 33 percent approve, while 55 percent disapprove.
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll released on Sunday found that if the midterms were held today, registered voters would vote for Republican candidates for Congress over the Democrat candidates for Congress by a staggering 10-point margin at 51% to 41%. The Washington Post called the findings a “historically strong result for Republicans.”
“Evaluating survey results in just eight states expected to have the most competitive Senate races – four currently held by Democrats, four by Republicans – raises further hope for the GOP and risk for the Democratic Party,” the poll added. “In these states – Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – Biden’s overall job approval rating is 33 percent, compared with 43 percent elsewhere.”