After spending months vilifying Republicans over the #MeToo movement, Democrats are scrambling to defend one of their own.
On Tuesday, Democratic voters in South Carolina chose to nominate Archie Parnell for Congress, despite a last-minute revelation that he beat his ex-wife.
According to statements made public by his divorce, Parnell was a student at the University of South Carolina in October 1973 when he broke down a door with a tire iron and beat his wife repeatedly. He did not deny the allegations.
His ex-wife, Kathleen, filed for divorce shortly after the attack and got a restraining order.
The shocking abuse caused much of his campaign staff to walk out, including his campaign manager.
“As soon as I discovered them, I immediately resigned from the campaign and advised Archie he should withdraw from the campaign immediately,” said Yates Baroody, Parnell’s campaign manager. “He has no business running for Congress and he never did.”
But Democratic voters thought differently: despite the abuse, they overwhelmingly chose Parnell as their nominee, giving him 60 percent of the vote.
Parnell will face Republican incumbent Rep. Ralph Norman on Election Day.
