BEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) – Beto O’Rourke has taken a path somewhat less traveled as he strives to make connections with the black voters who will play a dominant role in next year’s Southern presidential primaries.
In South Carolina on Friday, the Democratic presidential candidate and former Texas congressman met with leaders of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, a culture of slave descendants along the Southeast coast. Known as Gullah in the Carolinas and Geechee in Georgia and Florida, the culture is based on farming and fishing and has its own Creole language, history, cooking and crafts.
Fielding questions, O’Rourke discussed issues including climate change, affordable housing and health care. Asked if he supports reparations, O’Rourke said yes, noting that he feels white Americans, including himself, don’t know enough about the history of slavery.
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