will answer Columbia questions!

[sandlapper]

Originally Posted by sunstate

What area would you recommend for someone from Florida who is worried about culture shock and is not a republican? I am a 47 year old divorced woman who is worried that I will go insane in the suburbs. I have family near Lake Murry and they want me to move close to them. I hope to be working in the legal field as a paralegal. I just need a small house with some charm and a yard for my dogs. I hope to be able to travel no more than 20 minutes to work. Too much to ask?

Like Waccamatt stated earlier if I were you I would probablly look into some of the inner city neighborhoods, and Northeast Richland County. These areas of Columbia tend to be a little more socially liberal due to the influences of USC, and Ft. Jackson. I wouldn't think Lake Murray or Irmo would be that bad of a move either. The average commute time for most Columbians is around 20-22 minutes. And Richland County almost always votes Democrat come election time.

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBreakdance

waccamatt,

I think that it bears pointing out that the label "Democrat" does not necessarily equal "liberal" in the South. There are plenty of Dixiecrats active in state and local politics. Most people in the Carolinas are politically conservative but for many people the Republicans are still the "rich man's" party.

Johnny, Richland County is atypical for South Carolina. While your statement would be true in many rural areas, the majority of Dems in Richland County are either A) from the Northeast US, B) Educators/Professors C) People that moved to Columbia to escape their rural past or D) Core Democratic groups: African-American, Gay or Lesbian, Jewish, etc. Even many Richland County Republicans are much different than their Lexington County counterparts.

[Chi2Midlands]

Originally Posted by waccamatt

Johnny, Richland County is atypical for South Carolina. While your statement would be true in many rural areas, the majority of Dems in Richland County are either A) from the Northeast US, B) Educators/Professors C) People that moved to Columbia to escape their rural past or D) Core Democratic groups: African-American, Gay or Lesbian, Jewish, etc. Even many Richland County Republicans are much different than their Lexington County counterparts.

I would second Waccamat's assertion. Unlike in much of the South, where a Democrat is likely to be either an African-American or a white "Yellow Dog"/"Blue Dog" Democrat that never switched sides, Democrats in Richland County are often more like Democrats you would find in the rest of the nation, although still trending moderate over deep-blue liberal. Good example would be State Senator Joel Lourie or State Representative James Smith.

And yes, our Republicans in Richland County are often moderate as well. State Representative Bill Cotty (who's district is not even in the city - it covers suburban/exurban NE Richland County and stretches way into exurban/rural Kershaw County) is often the target of more conservative Republicans because of his stances on issues like public schools. Such Richland County Republicans have more in common with say, suburban Republicans in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Illinois than one from, say, Greenville County.