The comments of a few backward politicians obviously don’t reflect the attitudes of an entire state, but it’s clear that old prejudices are slow to fade in swathes of South Carolina. In this kind of poisonous political atmosphere, it would hardly be surprising if some black voters put racial identity ahead of a candidate’s qualifications. Nor would we be shocked if it turned out that some conservative white voters were trying embarrass the black political establishment by gaming the Democratic contest. Neither camp has much to be proud of, and if nothing else, the travesty of Greene’s election shows that some interracial bridge building is overdue in the Palmetto State.