Former Congressman Joe Cunningham, a Democratic candidate for Governor, called for an end to the state holiday known as Confederate Memorial Day and to replace it with Election Day.
The state of South Carolina has officially observed Confederate Memorial Day since 2000, when the legislature added it to the state calendar, along with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Cunningham said he would fight to end the observance of Confederate Memorial Day, replacing it as a state holiday with Election Day.
“Confederate Memorial Day is only an official state holiday in five states and for good reason” Cunningham said. “South Carolina was the last state in the country to recognize Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a state holiday but only because Republicans in the legislature insisted on pairing it with Confederate Memorial Day. It's time to end our state's official observance of Confederate Memorial Day and replace it with a truly patriotic day – Election Day.”
Cunningham announced his run for governor on April 26th and has since launched a 46-county tour of the state.
