The Quiet Decisions Behind Who Runs in South Carolina w/ Sam Skardon

Candidates rarely jump into races at the last minute by accident. This episode explores how South Carolina candidate recruitment, filing season timing, party support networks, and early signals of campaign viability shape who actually enters elections across the state. We look at how political parties, independent groups, and local dynamics influence the South Carolina governor’s race field and other contests before voters ever see the ballot. If you want to understand how South Carolina campaigns take shape before filing closes, this conversation explains the quiet decisions that shape who runs. 00:00 PAC Ads and Campaign Money 04:37 South Carolina Filing Period 07:09 SC Governor Race Funding Issues 13:04 Democrats, Gerrymandering, and Voter Power 19:00 Local Candidates and Filing Deadlines 26:47 PACs, 527s, and Dark Money 34:33 Part-Time Lawmakers and Outside Influence 37:00 How Campaign Money Buys Attention 43:50 Baseball Opening Day Sam Skardon Former Chairman, Charleston County Democratic Party https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-skardon-42198b65 Also available wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frogmore-stew/id1714820542 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6pxy2KuAmOfHCOU7xFQHUj There's more stew on Substack! https://frogmorestew.substack.com/ Learn more about Frogmore Stew at https://www.frogmorestewsc.com/ On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/frogmorestewsc on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@frogmorestewsc Frogmore Stew is brought to you by The Alliance Coalition The Alliance Coalition works to redistribute power back to YOU, the voter. We do this by collecting data on belief systems, providing clear and digestible political information, history and trends, while building a community for those of us who feel politically unhoused. We encourage all to engage in shaping our state’s future and communicating our thoughts about how to do that productively. https://www.thealliancecoalition.org/