Who is Alvin Greene?
South Carolinians must all be asking themselves the same question, and so far the answers aren’t promising. Greene is a 32-year-old man living with his father in Manning, S.C. who has been unable to find a job since his involuntary discharge from the Army in 2009, and he faces a felony obscenity charge for allegedly showing pornography to a college student. Oh, and he’s the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator to South Carolina in the 2010 midterm election.
“Sixty percent is not luck. Sixty percent is decisive,” Greene said of his vote totals. “The Democratic Party has chosen their nominee, and we have to stand behind their choice. The people have spoken.”
Unbelieveably, Greene spent less than $2,000 of his own money on the campaign, had no website and no yard-signs. And yet this average person defeated the party-backed candidate, Charleston County Councilman, former judge and retired Army Officer Vic Rawl.
“The results of the Senate primary on Election Day surprised almost everyone in the state, apparently including Mr. Greene,” said Rawl. “There are a number of serious allegations out there about the election. No one yet knows if they are true.”
State representative James Clyburn, among others, has speculated that Greene may have been set up by Republicans seeking to eliminate any serious competition. Others have suggested his name may have been confused with soul singer Al Green, or that people simply voted for him because his name came first alphabetically.
“I don’t know if he was a Republican plant, but he was someone’s plant,” said Clyburn. “What is an unemployed guy doing paying $10,000 to run for the United States Senate? That just doesn’t add up.”
In answer, Greene claims to have saved up the $10,400 filing fee during his time in the Army. That, and a political science degree seem to be all that separates Alvin from every other South Carolinian, but that may also be the point.
“They identified with me because I am more in touch with the constituents of South Carolina than any of my opponents," Greene said. “They relate to me and I can relate to their struggles and their issues better than my opponents.”
In this, Greene may be a symptom of the same disease that caused Sarah Palin and the TEA Party, only on the left, and closer to the root of power. Many people have lost their faith in government strictly because those in

power seem incapable of wielding it, and the only logical solution is to vote in an entirely new set of lawmakers.
Blue-bloods like Rawl and Clyburn get hopping mad when outsiders like Greene try to invite themselves to the table. They feel politics is a private club, which is why they are searching so hard for any explanation for Greene’s win other than that he may be qualified, and the people chose him.
Meanwhile, the executive committee of the South Carolina Democratic Party voted 5 to 1 against a recall vote, citing that the people have indeed made their decision.
“Last weekend was the first [campaign rally],” said Greene at the beginning of June. “I had friends and their friends help.”
He then paused a few seconds before adding, “I mean, I don't want to talk about the campaign. We get caught up in the campaign -- 'How he won?' -- whatever. I worked hard.”