South Carolina Workers Party

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The South Carolina Workers Party (SCWP) is a progressive political party in the United States. SCWP formed in 2023, when it split from the (defunct) Labor Party.

The SCWP was previously a chapter of the Labor Party, which went into decline in 2002. Despite national decline, the South Carolina chapter remained active^[1] and decided to pursue running candidates.

In December 2005, the South Carolina Labor Party (SCLP) announced that it would seek ballot status in South Carolina and run a candidate in the 2006 legislative elections. Labor Party News quoted Leonard Riley, President of the Charleston International Longshoremen's Association Local 1422 as saying, "Given the results of the past few elections, I think the workers of South Carolina would jump at the opportunity to consider a Labor Party which would guarantee an uncompromising voice for working people on their issues."^[2] Although South Carolina law permitted electoral fusion, the Labor Party pledged not to endorse candidates of any other party.

Party officials said that the relatively high unemployment rate, the decline in the textile industry, and the indifference of the state Democratic and Republican parties to the interests of working people, African-Americans and women created a political space for the Labor Party.^[3] The party submitted 16,500 signatures on July 11, 2006. If 10,000 of the signatures were valid, the party would be qualified for the 2007 and 2008 elections.^[4] This effort was apparently unrelated to the concurrent attempt of the Working Families Party to gain ballot access in South Carolina, a state that allows electoral fusion.^[5] In July 2007 Ballot Access News reported that the SCLP was attempting to recruit candidates.^[6]

South Carolina activists Gary Votour and Harold Geddings, candidates for governor and Congress respectively as Democratic Party candidates in 2020,^[7] left the party after former congressman Joe Cunningham was allowed to run as a Democratic candidate for governor although his position on the minimum wage was at odds with the party platform.^[8]

When Votour and Geddings decided to run as Labor Party candidates, a conflict between party leaders^[9] led to a legal challenge by the South Carolina Democratic Party.^[10] The judge ruled in favor of the Democratic Party,^[11] and Votour and Geddings were removed from the state ballot.^[12]

The former candidates led the Labor Party chapter to reform. In 2023, members of the SC branch called a convention, ended their affiliation with the (defunct) Labor Party, and renamed to the South Carolina Workers Party.^[13] The Workers Party is certified as a political party in South Carolina.^[14]

In 2010, the SCLP nominated Brett Bursey for the South Carolina State House, who received 442 votes, or 3.06%.^[15][16]

In the 2020 South Carolina House of Representatives election, SCLP candidate Willie Legette ran for District 95. Legette won 12.1% of the vote, coming in second place to incumbent Democrat Jerry Govan Jr.'s 86.6% of the vote.

In March 2024, the SCWP nominated Party for Socialism and Liberation nominee Claudia de La Cruz for president of the United States and Karina Garcia for vice president in the 2024 election granting them ballot access in South Carolina.^[17]

In 2024, the SCWP ran candidates for the South Carolina General Assembly: Gary Votour filed to run for State Senate District 22, Harold Geddings for District 26, Kiral Mace for District 16.^[18]

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