Matthews
© Screenshot via YouTube/News 19 WLTXKrystle Matthews
South Carolina Democrats are calling on Senate nominee Krystle Matthews to suspend her campaign following the publication of a rant in which she claimed that white voters should be treated "like shit."

Project Veritas released a video Wednesday that showed Matthews explaining how she deals with white voters. Her state House district includes parts of Berkeley and Charleston counties, both of which are majority-white. Matthews is set to face off against incumbent Republican Sen. Tim Scott in the November general election. She said in the recording:
"I keep them right here, like under my thumbs. That's where I keep it, like, you have to, otherwise they get outta control like kids. So for me, I know other people are tip-toeing around them. And I'm like, 'Yo, that's some white shit. I ain't doing that.'"
Several high-ranking South Carolina Democrats have called on Matthews to step aside, even though ballots have already been printed with her name on them.

State Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto told the Associated Press:
"When candidates of either party start making irresponsible statements, beyond what party they're from, they need to reevaluate their candidacy, and that's what needs to happen here."
Rep. Justin Bamberg wrote in an op-ed:
"Just because she is black or a Democrat in a political world where we see the dehumanizing of minorities on a daily basis does not make it OK. Treating anyone badly because of their race, ethnic background, or any other reason outside of WHO a person actually is will NEVER be acceptable."
Project Veritas released a phone call recording in June of Matthews speaking to a prison inmate. In the call, Matthews appeared to urge Democrats to register and run for office as Republicans in order to take down the South Carolina GOP. She also seemed to suggest she would be willing to use drug money to fund her Senate campaign.

For her part, Matthews is refusing to step aside. She claimed in a statement to The State that the pair of leaks actually proved that she treats voters of all races equally.

Matthews said:
"Regardless of race, I love everyone. One thing you can learn from Project Veritas's first audio attack on me, is obviously I have no biases toward a certain ethnic group. I expressed my disgust for Black legislators who exhibit the same hypocrisy as MAGA Republicans."