Candidates should not just focus on swing states
Coming home for fall break was something I was excited about. On my first night back at home in Orlando, Fla., I raided the pantry, lied down in my spacious living room, and as I turned on the TV, saw something I didn’t miss: the constant and seemingly never-ending slew of presidential ads.
These ads are one of the negatives of living a swing state because both candidates are trying to get your vote. But being a swing state also has advantages that we in South Carolina don’t get to experience.
Gov. Mitt Romney’s campaign trail has been mostly concentrated in the Northeast, near his former state of Massachusetts. He has traveled to every swing state multiple times for fundraisers, debates, rallies, speeches and campaigning events, but hasn’t stopped in South Carolina once on his campaign trail.
Similarly, President Barack Obama has spent most of his campaign time in swing states such as Ohio, Colorado, North Carolina, Virginia and Iowa. The president has made 8 appearances in Florida, not including his appearance tonight at the final presidential debate in Boca Raton, Fla. Like Romney, Obama has not stopped in South Carolina in his campaign.
Since the 1972 Nixon/McGovern election, South Carolina has voted Republican with the exception of the 1976 election, where S.C. voted democratic Carter into office. Candidates understand these trends, and see states like South Carolina, Alaska and Nebraska as a waste of their campaign money because they make up a very small percentage of the Electoral College and historically vote a certain way.
It’s unfortunate for USC students who are undecided, or even just students who want to be part of the election. We’re reliant on the television, news reports or internet articles to become a part of this election, as our voice in the grand scheme has more or less already been determined. It leaves students feeling more excited about a football game than the presidential election — at least in the stadium, we get noticed.
The presidential candidates are estimated to spend a collective, $36.7 million this week alone. President Obama has booked $15.3 million in ads, just in swing states for this week. Where you spend your time and how you spend your money says a lot about your priorities, and it is clear that South Carolina has fallen low on the lists of both candidates. The small population of South Carolina allows for 9 Electoral College votes while Florida receives 29, a staggering difference that explains why many South Carolinians feel neglected in the election process.
It’s important to keep smaller states voting. Swing states may count for the majority of the candidates’ time and money, but the votes of the smaller states still add up.
We may have to accept that we won’t have a rally come through Columbia anytime soon, but we, and the candidates, should still understand the importance of having our voices heard.