Columbia voters attend Men’s Day political forum ahead of November election

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — With the November general election approaching, voters in Columbia gathered Saturday at First Nazareth Baptist Church for a political forum focused on civic engagement, community and the future of South Carolina.

The Men’s Day Political Forum brought together Democratic candidates and a political strategist for a discussion centered on the importance of voting and the issues shaping the state.

U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Annie Andrews, who will face Sen. Darline Graham in November, spoke about the need for civility in politics.

“The thing that we’re gonna have to remember how to do, regardless of winning or losing on November third, is talking to each other again,” Andrews said.

Andrews joined Dr. Jermaine Johnson, state Rep. Kambrell Garvin and Democratic strategist Antuan Seawright on the panel.

Garvin urged voters not to underestimate the impact of their participation.

“Every vote, no matter who you are, where you live, your vote matters. often times folks say that you know ‘I’m one person, will my one vote really make a difference?” Garvin said.

He also encouraged voters to stay engaged.

“I wanna encourage folks to not be apathetic, to believe that their vote does matter, does count, and can make a difference,” Garvin said.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jermaine Johnson, who is running against Republican candidate Alan Wilson, emphasized unity and the stakes for the next generation.

“These are our children. I don’t care what you represent. I don’t care where you come from. These are our children. This is our future. This is us. We must stand together. We must stand United,” Johnson said.

Andrews said the moment reflects a shift in leadership.

“I mean it is exciting. This is a new generation of leadership for South Carolina,” she said.

The candidates also discussed their political strategies and the issues they plan to focus on heading into November.