Republicans like Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham will skip President Joe Biden's visit to SC
South Carolina's top Republican leaders are not expected to spend any time with President Joe Biden when he visits the state Friday.
A spokesman said Tuesday that Gov. Henry McMaster has "no plans" to see Biden, a Democrat, when the president arrives in Columbia on Air Force One.
The president will then travel to South Carolina State University in Orangeburg to deliver a commencement address at the state's largest historically Black school.
The state's two U.S. senators, Republicans Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, also are expected to skip Biden's visit.
Read More: What to know about President Joe Biden's visit to South Carolina on Friday
Also: Biden's visit to SC State comes as Black colleges and universities hope for more funding
And: What to know bout SC State, the state's only public historically Black college
Biden is coming to South Carolina State at the invitation of Democratic U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, who will receive his diploma Friday for the bachelor of arts degree in social studies that he completed in 1961. South Carolina State did not hold December graduation ceremonies when Clyburn attended the school.
According to a spokesman for Clyburn, the state's lone Democratic congressman and Biden are expected to be the only marquee politicians at the event.
In addition to the governor's mansion, Republicans control both houses of the state General Assembly.
Former President Donald Trump easily won South Carolina in the 2020 general election.
But Biden did get the most votes in 13 of the state's 46 counties, including Orangeburg.
Rep. William Timmons and Rep. Jeff Duncan comment on Biden's visit
In a text message, Republican U.S. Rep. William Timmons, who represents most of Greenville and Spartanburg counties, said, "I am excited for Whip Clyburn to have the opportunity to walk across the stage at his alma mater. It is one of those experiences that you never forget, and he finally gets to do it after all these years."
U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, a Republican whose district includes Anderson, Pickens and part of Greenville County, issued a statement to The Greenville News about Biden's visit:
“Though I will not be at Friday’s commencement, I’m always welcoming when a President visits our beautiful state," Duncan said. "However, instead of sugarcoating his bad policies, I hope Biden acknowledges that the average family is paying $4,000 more this year due to rising inflation, that illegal immigration is the worst we’ve seen in modern history, and that he has no plan to address the rise of crime that is plaguing our communities.
"Americans are paying heavily for his America-last policies, and no amount of politicizing can cover up the failures of this Administration.”
Rep. James Clyburn says the GOP has 'devolved into a cult'
Clyburn had strong words for the Republican Party during a panel discussion broadcast Tuesday night on USA TODAY's Facebook page.
"I'm afraid that we are at a point where the vast majority of one party has given up on democracy and society — that autocracy may be the way to go for the future," Clyburn said. "The other party has devolved into a cult. It is no longer a political party."
During a video call with reporters on Wednesday, Clyburn said Biden "has a great relationship with the state. And this state should be showing a little more love for him than it currently is."
Clyburn noted that Biden delivered a eulogy for Strom Thurmond, who represented South Carolina in the U.S. Senate for 48 years.
Biden "deserves a whole lot more credit from South Carolinians than he will ever get, and I suspect that is basically because he has a ‘D’ behind his name," Clyburn said.
Kirk Brown covers government, growth and politics for The Greenville News. Reach him at kebrown@greenvillenews.com or on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM. Please subscribe to The Greenville News by visiting greenvillenews.com/subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: President Biden to visit SC without Republicans like Scott, Graham
