Former MD Gov. Martin O'Malley defends crime record in SC presidential stop.
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley stopped off in the Midlands on Tuesday and said he has a plan to win the state among the five Democratic candidates for president.
The list is much shorter than the number of Republican hopefuls and with 7 months to go before South Carolina's primary, O'Malley and other candidates find themselves in the shadow of Hillary Clinton.
But, at the same time, O'Malley says who's in the lead now has little to do with the front-runner 6 months from now.
O'Malley already knows what Republican challenger he wants to face in the race for the White House.
"That's a great question," O'Malley. "I suppose the candidate that would be easiest to beat."
But before he can get to that point, the O'Malley has to fight his way to the top of the Democratic list of candidates -- a list that has been dominated so far by Clinton.
"There is an alternative. There is a new leader who speaks for a new generation," O'Malley said. "We will raise the dollars necessary to do that, and it becomes a much different dynamic."
O'Malley embraces the idea of being the underdog candidate, coming from behind to win his race in Baltimore, and also helping the campaigns of South Carolina Democrats. He campaigned in 2014 governor's race for State Sen. Vincent Sheheen, who lost to Gov. Nikki Haley.
His visit to South Carolina, starting with a discussion on criminal justice reform with the group 20/20 Leaders for America, highlights the difference between courting the Republican vote and the Democratic vote for the South Carolina primary.
O'Malley splits his focus between social reforms, voting rights, and the economy.
"Until we can be strong at home, where everybody works hard can earn a little more and do a bit better by their kids, we're not going to have an effective foreign policy that's credible," O'Malley said.
Meanwhile GOP candidates so far have focused on defense and immigration.
O'Malley has come under fire from groups like Black Lives Matter for his zero tolerance policies enacted while mayor of Baltimore -- policies those groups are critical of after the death of Freddie Gray in April.
When asked about it today, though, O'Malley said those policies got results in lowering the city's notoriously high crime rate.
http://www.wistv.com/story/29707979/former-md-gov-martin-omalley-defends-crime-record-in-sc-presidential-stop
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