South Carolina woman behind popular Obama slogan says she backs Steyer

A South Carolina councilwoman that former President Obama credits for coming up with a popular campaign slogan endorsed billionaire Tom Steyer in an ad released Monday. 

Greenwood City Councilwoman Edith Childs, who’s behind the “Fired Up! Ready to Go!” Obama slogan, said Steyer is a “different” kind of candidate, one who can take on President Trump in November. 

“12 years ago right here…we needed some hope,” Childs says in the ad, which cuts to images of Obama talking about her campaign slogan. “I said I’m fired up and ready to go, and that was it.” 

“We need something different to beat Trump,” Childs continues. “Tom Steyer can bring it. Watch out –– my guy Tom is fired up, and Trump’s got to go.” 

The ad will run in all four early nominating states, according to the Steyer campaign. 

A Fox News poll released earlier this month showed Steyer surging to second place in the state, with 15 percent support. But the billionaire philanthropist is running at fourth place in South Carolina, according to a RealClearPolitics average of recent polls in the state. 

Steyer has spent about $14 million on local broadcast ads in South Carolina since launching his campaign in July, The New York Times reported citing ad tracking firm Advertising Analytics. Steyer’s ads account for 70 percent of total spent on political ads in the state by all candidates, Democrats and Republicans, the Times reports. 

The South Carolina primary will be held on Feb. 29. It’s the fourth state in the nomination calendar, following Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, and the final state before Super Tuesday on March 3.