SC1 Candidate Arousing Suspicion Among Some Dems

Could it be Alvin Greene, Part 2?

Ben Frasier, who filed today to run as a Democratic candidate in the Special Election for the First Congressional District, has already aroused suspicion among some Democrats.

Frasier is a frequent candidate and was the nominee of the Democrats in SC1 in 2010.

During the race, Rep. James Clyburn (D-6) wondered if Frasier, along with Greene, was part of “shenanigans” on the part of Republicans to confuse African-American voters.

In 2008, the Charleston City Paper reported that Frasier was a former to aide to segregationist era Congressman Mendel Rivers.

Frasier has also been accused of living in Maryland, which would make him ineligible for the seat. But in 2010, the Charleston County Board of Elections determined that he met the residency requirements and Frasier ran again.

When Patch spoke with Frasier on Monday he said he lived in South Carolina.

But Frasier had difficulty explaining his motivation for running and seemed to suggest it wasn’t even his idea. He said “they” told him to run, but did not specify who the “they” was when asked.

Frasier said that “they told me to stand down” when asked why he did not run in Nov. 2012, when the seat was up for grabs. He again declined to identify to whom he was referring.

Frasier declined to elaborate a platform or characterize the ideology of those who said were supporting him, other than to say they lived in South Carolina. Frasier's campaign website also sheds little light on his political philosophies.

Democratic operative Tyler Jones wasted no time in accusing Frasier of being a plant on Twitter.

When asked about the possibility that he was planted into the race Frasier said, “That will come out when we hold our first rally.”

Frasier did not have a time of location for the rally, but said that information would be forthcoming.

The concerns about a Frasier candidacy stem from the possibility that he could attract votes from low information African-American voters and force a run-off that could be costly to the party’s nominee.

The other Democrats in the race are Elizabeth Colbert-Busch and Martin Skelly.

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