Your View: Will Dorchester County Turn 'Blue'?

Dorchester County Democratic Party opened its new headquarters Saturday with a bold promise: 

"This is going to be the base where we help turn this county blue," Chair Richard Hayes told the 30 people gathered in the office near Matt's Barber Shop on W. 2nd North Street. 

That may sound like a tall order, but in 2008, then-candidate Barack Obama lost the county by about 8,000 votes (29,929 voted for candidate John McCain, 21,806 voted for Obama). 

During Saturday's opening, a representative for Congressional candidate Bobbie Rose was there, encouraging voters to help turn S.C. District 1, currently held by Congressman Tim Scott, blue as well.

Democrat and County Council candidate Miriam Birdsong, , was also on hand. 

At the time of the event, Birdsong had about 500 petition signatures and the party planned to hit the pavement Saturday evening to complete the needed 750 signatures to put her back on the ballot. The deadline is July 15.

The office will be open 10 .m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Beginning in September, the office will be open six days a week. The office will host volunteers making calls for candidates in the evenings.

"Every time you make a call for Miriam or (S.C. House District 97 Rep. Patsy Knight), you're making a call for President Obama," Hayes told the crowd, "We're going to surprise everybody here in South Carolina."