By admin 
U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna doesn’t live in South Carolina, but the California congressman has been a frequent visitor to the state.
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Khanna, a potential 2028 Democratic candidate for president whose district includes Silicon Valley, has used his connections to help bring projects to the Palmetto State despite never having appeared on a ballot in South Carolina.
His efforts to reach out to HBCUs have been an indication he’s trying to make connections with Black voters, a key voting bloc in a Democratic primary, especially in the early presidential primary state of South Carolina.
Now he’s promoting an agreement he helped coordinate between South Carolina State University and Nvidia. The HBCU and tech company are collaborating on an AI education and a workforce development program.
“This collaboration represents another major step forward for South Carolina State University as we continue expanding opportunities for our students in high-growth fields that are shaping the future,” SC State President Alexander Conyers said.
Khanna helped support discussions that led to the collaboration between NVIDIA, SC State and other HBCUs as part of his efforts to expand access to technology education and workforce opportunities.
“This is exactly the kind of collaboration we need to ensure the benefits of the AI revolution reach everyone,” Khanna said.
Those involved say the students will have access to hands-on learning, advanced computing certifications and using tool that are needed in high-demand industries.
“AI is essential infrastructure, like the internet or electricity,” said Ned Finkle, vice president of government affairs at NVIDIA. “This new collaboration with South Carolina State University will help students learn on the technology shaping every industry, gain the skills to build with AI, and bring that capability into communities, companies and classrooms across South Carolina.”
Khanna has had an extended interest in South Carolina, or at least has been making connections in the state with HBCUs for years.
In 2024, he hosted a Silicon Valley tech summit at Claflin University. In 2023, Khanna established an 18-month program with a $5,000 dollar stipend run by Google for students at Benedict College in Columbia.
In 2020, he helped set up apprenticeship programs at Claflin University with Zoom and Silicon Valley tech company Whiterabbit.ai.
In 2024, he partnered with state Rep. Wendell Gillard to distribute laptop computers underserved communities in the Charleston-area.
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His visits started as early as 2018 when he joined former U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, an Ohio Democrat, on a bus tour of the state.
Khanna’s most recent visit to South Carolina was during the state Democratic Party weekend, which included remarks during the party’s Blue Palmetto Dinner, Jim Clyburn’s annual Fish Fry and the state party convention.
During Khanna’s visit, which came the week a middecade redistricting effort failed in the South Carolina Senate, he shared the stage with another potential 2028 presidential candidate, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. At the fish fry, Beshear awarded Clyburn the Bluegrass State’s highest civilian honor, making the congressman a Kentucky colonel.
Khanna had the stage all to himself the following day at the party convention.
State party Chairwoman Christale Spain told the crowd at the convention that Khanna didn’t need an introduction when she introduced him before his remarks.
“He’s also spent a lot of time here in South Carolina working and engaging voters, showing up to speak at a lot of our county party events, and we’re really grateful for his support,” Spain said.
“We don’t know what he’ll do in the future, wink wink, but we are so glad he has decided to spend time and energy investing in South Carolina,” she added in a joking manner.
During his remarks, given without notes or a teleprompter, was critical of the current makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court, calling it a modern day Dred Scott court.
“If the original Dred Scott court took away black Americans’ rights of citizenship, the modern day Dred Scott court has taken away Black Americans’ rights to freely pick their own representatives,” Khanna said. “That’s what’s going on in this country, but just like Robert Smalls stood up for black freedom in Reconstruction, just like Sarah Mae Fleming stood up against segregation, all of you in this convention hall, …, stood up for freedom. My friends, you are part of the modern civil rights hero.”
For now, speculation will continue he’s going to jump into the race for the White House in the next election cycle.
“So I’m going to keep coming here, whether I run or not, in ‘28, whether I win or not, because I am committed to the work of bringing economic capital and jobs to this community and to the state,” Khanna said in an interview in May at the state Democratic Party convention.
His keynote speech at the convention received a rousing ovation from those in the attendance.
“I need more rousing receptions like this. If I get more of that, I’ll decide probably at the end of the year,” Khanna said of a potential presidential run.
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