My Dumb State: Wannabe Governor Engages Tribalism As Attorney General

Apr 21, 2026 08:59 PM EDT, Tue

Phone Script

📞 Voicemail Script (Revised With Tribalism) (20–25 seconds)

Hi, my name is Ralph Hightower, a constituent from Chapin. South Carolina. My allegiance is to America – Country Over Party. I was an independent voter for decades, and I only started voting straight‑ticket Democrat in 2018 because, in my view, Donald Trump corrupted the Republican Party’s values and normalized tribalism — further fracturing Americans into opposing camps.

Now I see Attorney General Alan Wilson using similar tribal language, calling Democrats “left‑leaning activists” in an official press release dated April 21 2026. South Carolina governors average 54.81% of the vote over four election cycles.

If he wants to be governor, does he plan to serve all South Carolinians, or only the narrow majority that agrees with him?

📧 Staff‑Friendly Email (Revised With Tribalism)

Subject: Concern About Tribal Language in Attorney General Wilson’s Recent Statement

Hello,

My name is Ralph Hightower, and I live in Chapin. My allegiance is to America — Country Over Party. I was an independent voter from 1972 through 2018. I started voting straight‑ticket Democrat for the first time in 2018 because, in my view, Donald Trump perverted — meaning corrupted — the values of the Republican Party and normalized a style of tribalism that divides Americans into opposing groups.

This pattern includes labeling political opponents as “radical leftists” or “communists,” and it contributes to what many people describe as the Divided States of America.

I was concerned to see Attorney General Alan Wilson adopt similar tribal language in his recent press release dated April 21 2026, referring to Democrats as “left‑leaning activists.” For someone now running for governor, this raises an important question about whether he intends to govern for the entire state.

South Carolina governors have averaged 54.81% of the vote over the last four elections. With that in mind:

Does Attorney General Wilson intend to serve all South Carolinians, or only the narrow majority that agrees with him?

Thank you for taking the time to log my comment.

Sincerely, Ralph Hightower Chapin, SC

Rebuttal

It’s disturbing to read a news release from South Carolina’s Attorney General, Alan Wilson, along with other Trumpian Attorneys General assail their citizens who are aligned with the Democratic Party, of their states with tribalistic language such as “left-leaning”.

Such a nebulous phrase as “left-leaning” reminds me of a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon with one of his snow sculptures that features a “snow chicken” gleefully chopping the head off a snowman with Calvin challenging his mom with, "Oh yeah? Define “Well-Adjusted.”"

Calvin builds a snow chicken that beheads a snowman, and his mom demands normalcy while Calvin fires back “Define Well-Adjusted”
January 6, 1995.

It is my contention that Donald Trump is not President of the United States of America, but rather, President of the Divided States of America. Trump repeated actions, such as withholding FEMA aid and assistance to Democratic led states, toxic social media posts, and toxic speech:

He was a missionary with a noble spirit and a great, great purpose. He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry. I am sorry Erika, but now Erika can talk to me and the whole group and maybe they can convince me that that’s not right.1

Attorney General Alan Wilson defends President Trump’s executive order on election integrity - South Carolina Attorney General

APR 21, 2026

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Today, Attorney General Alan Wilson joined Missouri and 10 other states in a motion to intervene to defend a presidential executive order that would allow access to resources that would verify voter-registration lists against lawfare from left-wing activists.

On March 31, 2026, President Trump issued Executive Order No. 14399, entitled “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections”,” to assist the states in guarding their elections. Left-leaning activists and progressive states immediately challenged the order, claiming it represents a federal intrusion on state authority over elections. These nonsensical claims attempt to derail an opportunity for states to work alongside the federal government on election integrity and to ensure voter rolls are accurate, secure, and up to date.

“As Attorney General, I have continued to fight to secure our elections in South Carolina,” Attorney General Wilson stated. “It is vital to the strength of our republic that we ensure only American citizens vote in our elections and that mail-in and absentee ballots are secure and reliable.”

The executive order aims to enhance election security through two main initiatives. It mandates federal agencies to compile a “State Citizenship List” for state election officials, listing potential voters who are confirmed U.S. citizens, over 18, and residents of the state. South Carolina and other states are advocating for access to this list to ensure voter-registration records are accurate.

Additionally, the order instructs the U.S. Postal Service to develop rules for mail-in and absentee ballots, improving their security and reliability. This includes using tracking barcodes on “Official Election Mail,” allowing states to provide lists of eligible absentee voters, and prohibiting the transmission of ballots from unidentified individuals.

South Carolina and the other states are fighting for access to these resources and to work alongside the federal government in guarding the integrity of American elections. The Motion to Intervene was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

In addition to Attorney General Wilson, attorneys general from the following states joined the Missouri-led filing: Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas.

The full Motion to Intervene can be read here .

  1. Memorial for Charlie Kirk in Glendale, Arizona - September 21, 2025. Factbase Transcripts – Roll Call ↩

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