Charleston Democrat and former U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham called on Gov. Henry McMaster to “step up and do your job, or step aside for someone who will” in his first ad of the 2022 election cycle.
Cunningham previously announced his candidacy in April and has since leveled criticism at the governor on a variety of issues, including his stance on mask mandates.
“Mandating masks is not the answer,” McMaster said in an Aug. 9 press conference. “Personal responsibility is the answer. Common sense is the answer. We have an abundance of both in South Carolina.”
Cunningham accused the governor of putting politics ahead of the lives of children in the 30-second ad, as students across South Carolina transition back to in-person learning.
“Governor, instead of fighting this virus with science and facts, you’re keeping it alive with conspiracy theories and politics,” he said.
The ad is part of a five-figure ad buy and is airing on both cable TV and online. According to recent fundraising reports, McMaster is said to have $1.7 million cash-on-hand, compared with Cunningham’s $437,000.
While McMaster has yet to comment on the ad, S.C. Republican Party Chairman Drew McKissick issued a response defending McMaster’s response to the pandemic, crediting him for working to “safely keep our state open.”
“If Joe Cunningham had his way, our economy would have been shut down and people would still be getting paid bonuses not to show up for work,” he said. “Parents have all the information they need about vaccines and masks to combat COVID-19 and make decisions for themselves and their children. Like a typical Democrat, Joe wants to focus on mandates instead of personal choice.”
Cunningham was previously elected as the U.S. House representative for the 1st District in 2018, flipping the seat from four decades of Republican control.
Cunningham famously was involved in a row of controversy for attempting to bring a six-pack of beer onto the House floor in the first weeks of his term. In a viral Twitter thread posted by the former representative, he claimed he was attempting to make friends with his fellow lawmakers.
“Making friends when you’re a freshman is hard, and I thought I’d grease the skids with some Lowcountry beer,” Cunningham tweeted. “Thankfully @RepPeterDeFazio got it in the end! Can I join the beer caucus now?”
Cunningham’s stint in Washington was short-lived, losing re-election in 2020 to Rep. Nancy Mace.
But Cunningham finally got his brew nearly two years later, when he cracked open a cold one on the House floor during his farewell speech, stressing the importance of bipartisanship.
“I won’t ever stop reaching across the aisle or trying to work with one another or sitting down and having a beer and listening to each other,” he said.
Cunningham was voted Best Community Activist, Best Do-Gooder, Best Progressive, and was runner-up for Best Charlestonian, in Charleston City Paper’s 2021 Best of Charleston Awards.
He will be vying for the Democratic nomination alongside state Sen. Mia McLeod, D-Columbia, and activist Gary Votour.
