SC1: Candidates Seek to Align Themselves With Boeing

The saying goes that “everyone loves a winner.” Nowhere is that more true than in politics. Politicians will seek any advantage they can to win an election and one of the most common strategies is to attach themselves to—or, better yet, take credit for—a successful organization or person.

Playing that role in the special election for the First Congressional District seat is Boeing.

Both Mark Sanford and his Democratic rival Elizabeth Colbert Busch have taken pains to align themselves with the aerospace manufacturer, which brings billions to the South Carolina economy.

When asked about Boeing’s importance in the race, Sanford told Patch, “It’s an important barometer. They’re one of the biggest employers in the district.”

Not only have the candidates talked up their own work with Boeing, they’ve attempted to diminish what their opponents have done.

Sanford is quick to point to his time as governor and how it was during his first term that Boeing came to the Lowcountry.

Sanford’s importance in landing Boeing in South Carolina was confirmed by Enzo Caiazzo, Senior Vice President of Commercial Airplanes for Alenia Nernacchi, a key supplier to Boeing.

Caiazzo told Patch that Boeing would not have relocated had there not been suppliers nearby and Sanford was pivotal in getting those suppliers on board. Caiazzo said he was one of the executives at Alenia who made the decision to come to South Carolina.

“Mark and his staff are why Charleston made it to the final group of sites and why it was ultimately chosen,” said Caiazzo, who donated $2,500 to Sanford's campaign in Janaury, according to the Federal Election Commission. “He made a tremendous effort and that caused us to choose South Carolina.”

See how fundraising for the two congressional candidates is faring.

The Colbert Busch campaign has not disputed Sanford’s role in bringing Boeing to the Lowcountry while governor. But the Democrats have suggested that Sanford wasn’t always so committed to the company’s interests.

They point to his voting record in Congress, when he voted to defund the Export-Import Bank, which helps domestic firms compete at international trade against foreign companies.

When Patch asked Sanford about those votes, he noted that Boeing was not in South Carolina when those votes were cast. He said while in Congress he took a stand a number of issues for the purpose of reining in spending.

“I was a deficit hawk trying to protect Social Security,” he said.

Sanford’s supporters also point to the fact that Boeing’s PAC donated $5,000 to his campaign earlier this month, while not donating anything to Colbert Busch.

Boeing is a so-called “heavy hitter” in political donation circles, giving millions per year to candidates on both sides of the aisle. Among the candidates who received donations from Boeing or its PACs is Nancy Pelosi who Sanford has claimed is funding Colbert Busch’s campaign. The former House Speaker received $10,000 last year.

In addition to promoting his own relationship with Boeing, Sanford has been critical of Colbert Busch and her relationship to unions.

Specifically, Sanford has noted that Colbert Busch that many thought threatened Boeing’s very existence in South Carolina. Sanford has effectively accused Colbert Busch of being anti-business.

Colbert Busch has responded to the charges of being anti-business by saying Sanford is forcing people to take sides, which is one of the problems with the present political climate.

Instead, Colbert Busch has emphasized the importance of working together and has cited her experience with Boeing in that respect.

One of the biggest challenges Boeing faced when moving to South Carolina was finding skilled workers. According to John Kelly, Vice President for Economic Development at Clemson, Colbert Busch was instrumental in helping the company develop and find employees, among other duties.

“She was the person that pulled together the team that met with Boeing officials,” said Kelly, who donated $250 to Colbert Busch in February. “There were a number of meetings where she met with the company and talked about what kind of degrees or certificates they needed employees to have.”

So, while both candidates have relationships with Boeing, they are very different in nature and which one is more important depends on one's point of view. Undecided voters seeking to use Boeing as a measuring stick may have to look elsewhere for the deciding factor on how to vote on May 7.

When Patch asked Boeing to comment on the various claims made by both candidates, it deferred, releasing the following statement:

“Here at Boeing South Carolina we’re going to keep our focus on building high quality airplanes for our customers and meeting the expectations of our shareholders.”

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