Release Date: 9/2/2015

CONTACT:
Sarah Ford

State Senator Gerald Malloy and Inez Tenenbaum to Serve as South Carolina Draft Biden Co-Chairs, Isaiah Nelson Hired as State Director

Columbia, SC – Draft Biden announced today that State Senator Gerald Malloy (D-Darlington) and former State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum will serve as the Co-Chairs of the South Carolina Draft Biden movement.

“I am proud to help lead the effort in South Carolina as my good friend, Vice President Joe Biden, explores running for President of the United States,” State Senator Gerald Malloy said. “Over the last few weeks, I have been hearing from folks in my Senate District [Chesterfield, Darlington, Lee & Marlboro Counties] and throughout the state and the message is clear: South Carolina wants Vice President Biden to not only run for President, but to be the next President of the United States. South Carolina is ready to lead the effort to Draft Biden.”

Inez Tenenbaum noted, “Vice President Biden would not only be a strong candidate for President, but would make South Carolina Democrats proud as the next Democratic nominee and ultimately the next President of the United States. His ties in South Carolina are deep, and I am honored to work with this team to help encourage the Vice President to do what the people of South Carolina are ready for him to do: run for President.”

Draft Biden has also announced the hiring of an experienced team to lead the Draft effort. Isaiah Nelson, the Coordinated Campaign Director for the South Carolina Democratic Party in 2014, will serve as State Director.

“Over the last few months, folks all across South Carolina have been getting excited about the possibility of Vice President Biden running for President," said Nelson. "We have a great team assembled in South Carolina of experienced and well respected staff ready to get to work to support and draft our Vice President.”

The following veteran political strategists will also be joining the Draft Biden team in South Carolina:

Kendall Corley, Political Director. Originally from Lexington, SC, Kendall is a well-respected South Carolina-based political staffer. He has worked on over 50 campaigns in Virginia and South Carolina, ranging from school board to presidential, including the Benjamin for Mayor Campaign (Columbia), the 2008 Obama Campaign, and for South Carolina Democratic Party. He currently is a principal at K.L. Corley and Associates LLC and will be heading up legislative and constituency outreach.

Morgan Allison, Outreach Director. Originally from Piedmont, SC, Morgan was the Get out the Vote Director for the 2014 South Carolina Coordinated Campaign, where she oversaw the entire turnout operation for statewide, federal and local Democratic candidates in the 2014 election cycle. She is currently the Chief of Staff to State Representative James E. Smith, Jr. (D-Richland), and will take a part time leave of absence to manage community outreach.

Lauren Nastoff, Field Director. Originally from Greenville, SC, Lauren was a Regional Field Director for the upstate in the 2014 South Carolina Coordinated Campaign where she led the turnout operation for the Democratic ticket. Lauren will lead the effort to garner support from activists and supporters for the Draft effort.

Background: The Draft Biden SuperPAC is an effort to compel Vice President Biden to throw his hat into the ring for the 2016 Presidential campaign, Over the past few weeks, the Vice President has given numerous signs that he is seriously considering making a bid for the White House. The Draft Biden SuperPAC is currently working to build the infrastructure and recruit the support the Vice President would need should he launch a campaign. Well over 200,000 Americans have signed a petition to ask the Vice President to run.

About Senator Gerald Malloy: Senator Malloy, originally from Chesterfield County, was first elected to the South Carolina Senate in 2002 and represents Chesterfield, Darlington, Lee, and Marlboro counties. Malloy has been a leader within the Democratic Party as a champion for rural economic development and a voice for the hard-working, but under-represented, people of South Carolina. He also works as an attorney at Malloy Law Firm in Hartsville, S.C. A graduate of the University of South Carolina Law School, Malloy and his family attend Jerusalem Baptist Church in Hartsville, SC.

About Inez Tenenbaum: Mrs. Tenenbaum is the former Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a position to which she was appointed by President Obama. A well-respected Democrat throughout the state and country, she was the twice elected Superintendent of Education from 1999-2007, serving with both Democratic and Republican Governors. She was the Democratic Nominee for United States Senate in the strongly contested 2004 General Election, and is currently a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP in Columbia, SC.

About Isaiah Nelson: Isaiah, a graduate of the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC, has done extensive work for Democrats throughout the South. Serving as the 2014 Coordinated Campaign Director for the South Carolina Democratic Party, Isaiah oversaw the turnout operation for the Governor, Lt. Governor and United States Senate races in South Carolina in 2014. Most recently, he was the campaign manager for Mayor Alvin Brown in Jacksonville, Florida.

 
###