Posted on Fri, Dec. 20, 2002

Associated Press

CHARLESTON, S.C. - A black Charleston city councilman has shocked some Democrats and Republicans by switching from the Democratic Party, which he says has neglected black voters.

Councilman Kwadjo Campbell said black South Carolinians will have a better chance to prosper if they can gain strength in both political parties.

"I think right now is the opportune time to negotiate the Republican agenda for people of color in this nation," he said Thursday.

State Sen. Robert Ford, whom Campbell has helped in past Senate elections, said Campbell's decision comes at a bad time because of a national furor over U.S. Sen. Trent Lott's comments in praise of Strom Thurmond's run for president on a segregationist ticket. Lott resigned his post as Senate majority leader Friday.

"I don't think he understands what's going on in the Republican Party," Ford said. "Trent Lott put those boys in a bad predicament."

"Wow," said Charleston County Council Chairman Tim Scott, a black Republican. Scott said the GOP is growing big enough to welcome Campbell. "I would imagine his shift has been prompted by a sense of frustration and ambivalence from the other side."

Others said Campbell's decision came as no surprise.

"Kwadjo has had a bit of an identity crisis for some time," said Charleston County Democratic Party Chairwoman Diane Aghapour.

"We always applaud people's efforts to take a good hard look at the Republican Party," state GOP Chairman Katon Dawson said Friday. "It is evidence that our party is open."

Campbell first ran for Charleston City Council's District 2 seat as a Democrat five years ago. City offices had been changed to nonpartisan races when he ran for re-election this year.

He had been aligned with the Democratic Party until this year when he supported Republican Mark Sanford in his successful bid for governor.

Campbell said his political views were influenced by his grandfather, who was in the military and an admirer of Ronald Reagan.

Campbell said he became a Democrat as a student at the College of Charleston. "All I knew about the Republican Party was that they were the party of Lincoln," he said.

Information from: The Post And Courier

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2002