South Carolina's senior U.S. Senator, Republican Lindsey Graham, has fought off a GOP challenger and won the Party's nomination to run for another term in November.
Graham stirred up very public and vocal anger among the voters by supporting John McCain's amnesty plan for illegal aliens. So vehement was the opposition to Graham and McCain that both quickly backed off the plan in order to avoid political suicide.
The Democrat who will run against Graham in November is an unknown entity, and Graham is expected to retain his seat in the U.S. Senate.
In another closely-watched race, Republican Bob Inglis, the U.S. Congressman representing S.C.'s 4th Congressional district, defeated his GOP challenger as well. Inglis faced extreme voter discontent when he voted with Democrats in Congress to oppose the troop surge in Iraq.
Inglis now claims his vote was a mistake and that he is pleased that the surge is working.
Again, Inglis represents a strongly conservative Republican district in South Carolina, and he is expected to have no trouble winning another term to the U.S. Congress.
On the local level in South Carolina, one of the more interesting races for the legislature resulted in the challenger, Steve Parker, beating the incumbent Ralph Davenport in a landslide. For more information on that race, click here:
http://carolinacountryside.blogspot.com/2008/06/parker-beats-davenport-in-landslide.html
Showing posts with label Republican primaries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Republican primaries. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Weather No Problem in Early S.C. Voting
With weather prognosticators predicting snow, sleet, and freezing rain in key GOP strongholds in South Carolina, GOP officials feared the worst with regard to voter turnout in today's South Carolina Republican Primary.
So far, however, the weather has not been a factor.
Although the snow began to fall in the Upstate (the Piedmont and mountainous regions) at roughly 3 PM, the morning hours were free of precipitation and the early afternoon hours saw nothing but rain.
Voter turnout so far has been moderate to brisk as this year the GOP race has stirred considerable interest among citizens.
The problem is with those who have waited to vote in the late afternoon and early evening in the Upstate. With the snow now falling and temperatures dropping, travel could become hazardous.
Polling places will be closing at 7 PM. Check back with the Liberty Sphere later this evening for complete information on the vote as the information becomes available.
So far, however, the weather has not been a factor.
Although the snow began to fall in the Upstate (the Piedmont and mountainous regions) at roughly 3 PM, the morning hours were free of precipitation and the early afternoon hours saw nothing but rain.
Voter turnout so far has been moderate to brisk as this year the GOP race has stirred considerable interest among citizens.
The problem is with those who have waited to vote in the late afternoon and early evening in the Upstate. With the snow now falling and temperatures dropping, travel could become hazardous.
Polling places will be closing at 7 PM. Check back with the Liberty Sphere later this evening for complete information on the vote as the information becomes available.
This Is It: S.C. GOP Primary Today
Polls open in South Carolina at 7 AM this morning for the Republican Presidential Primary. No Republican thus far has won the GOP nomination without winning South Carolina.
The Democrats in the state will be holding their primary NEXT Saturday, January 27.
Although polls show John McCain in the lead going into tomorrow's primary, one central factor may well spell trouble for the Senator. McCain and S.C. Senator Lindsey Graham spearheaded President Bush's plan to grant amnesty to illegal aliens--a bill that the citizens beat down with their sheer outrage.
Although McCain and Graham have toned down their rhetoric concerning the issue after the voters made their anger heard, the two are still not really getting the message that Americans want to end sanctuary cities and incentives for illegals to flood the country such as tuition breaks and free medical care, and they want illegals to get in the back of the line where honorable persons seek to enter the country legally.
A vote for McCain is not going to do one whit to end the present disastrous policies toward immigration.
With that said, I have already said all that I need to say.
The Liberty Sphere will keep you updated on any pertinent, late-breaking info as the vote proceeds.
Check back with us later in the evening for the results. And, by the way, we will be casting our vote for Fred Thompson.
The Democrats in the state will be holding their primary NEXT Saturday, January 27.
Although polls show John McCain in the lead going into tomorrow's primary, one central factor may well spell trouble for the Senator. McCain and S.C. Senator Lindsey Graham spearheaded President Bush's plan to grant amnesty to illegal aliens--a bill that the citizens beat down with their sheer outrage.
Although McCain and Graham have toned down their rhetoric concerning the issue after the voters made their anger heard, the two are still not really getting the message that Americans want to end sanctuary cities and incentives for illegals to flood the country such as tuition breaks and free medical care, and they want illegals to get in the back of the line where honorable persons seek to enter the country legally.
A vote for McCain is not going to do one whit to end the present disastrous policies toward immigration.
With that said, I have already said all that I need to say.
The Liberty Sphere will keep you updated on any pertinent, late-breaking info as the vote proceeds.
Check back with us later in the evening for the results. And, by the way, we will be casting our vote for Fred Thompson.
Friday, December 14, 2007
South Carolina Suddenly Up for Grabs?
A brand new poll indicates that the race for the GOP nomination in South Carolina--a key early pivotal state--is up for grabs.
Bear in mind, however, that the poll was conducted by the Clinton News Network (CNN) which has a vested interest in playing up Huckabee due to the fact that he is the ONLY GOP contender that Hillary can beat.
The CNN poll shows that Huckabee has suddenly skyrocketed into first place by 7 points over second-place contender Fred Thompson
Here are the results of the poll:
Huckabee 24%
Thompson 17%
Giuliani 16%
Romney 16%
McCain 13%
Paul 11%
This polling data, however, is very different from an in-state poll that shows Thompson up by 2 percentage points, but with Huckabee moving up fast.
Our most trusted and experienced poll watchers inform us that these particular poll numbers can be safely disregarded at this point in the campaign, especially the nationwide polls.
In addition, the state-by-state poll numbers are highly misleading and volatile, pointing to the vast uncertainty that still exists among a large portion of the electorate.
Suppose, for example, that we take at face value that the CNN poll listed above is accurate. Our sources tell us that with 5 candidates polling between 10 and 20 percentage points, any of them could win. In addition, the fact that Huckabee is showing a 7 point lead when just a few days ago he polled sixth in the field of candidates is highly suspect.
With three weeks to go until the Iowa caucuses and four weeks to go until the South Carolina primary, widely variant and volatile polls such as these can change in a hurry.
The bottom line is that Thompson is still very much in this ball game and Huckabee is not necessarily the front runner.
Bear in mind, however, that the poll was conducted by the Clinton News Network (CNN) which has a vested interest in playing up Huckabee due to the fact that he is the ONLY GOP contender that Hillary can beat.
The CNN poll shows that Huckabee has suddenly skyrocketed into first place by 7 points over second-place contender Fred Thompson
Here are the results of the poll:
Huckabee 24%
Thompson 17%
Giuliani 16%
Romney 16%
McCain 13%
Paul 11%
This polling data, however, is very different from an in-state poll that shows Thompson up by 2 percentage points, but with Huckabee moving up fast.
Our most trusted and experienced poll watchers inform us that these particular poll numbers can be safely disregarded at this point in the campaign, especially the nationwide polls.
In addition, the state-by-state poll numbers are highly misleading and volatile, pointing to the vast uncertainty that still exists among a large portion of the electorate.
Suppose, for example, that we take at face value that the CNN poll listed above is accurate. Our sources tell us that with 5 candidates polling between 10 and 20 percentage points, any of them could win. In addition, the fact that Huckabee is showing a 7 point lead when just a few days ago he polled sixth in the field of candidates is highly suspect.
With three weeks to go until the Iowa caucuses and four weeks to go until the South Carolina primary, widely variant and volatile polls such as these can change in a hurry.
The bottom line is that Thompson is still very much in this ball game and Huckabee is not necessarily the front runner.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
GOP Picture Grows Murky
With U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, out of the race for the White House, the question becomes where will social conservatives go.
It is not as if they had no other options than Brownback. But the social conservatives have been split between several candidates, and with one of them gone the others stand to gain.
Several of the current GOP Presidential hopefuls could potentially benefit from Brownback's departure, given their pro-life stance. These include Duncan Hunter, Mike Huckabee, and Mitt Romney.
Even John McCain could benefit, given his lifelong support of right-to-life.
Giuliani's front-runner status in national polls cannot be trusted at this point, given that the numbers have tended to swing wildly.
Currently some polls show Giuliani with a 10-point lead over 2nd place contender Fred Thompson. Yet Giuliani's problems are mounting with some of his views on social issues.
Further, some GOP activists are beginning to openly question the Fred Thompson candidacy. It seems that more than a few of the GOP faithful were miffed that Thompson gave a very short speech to a forum in Florida on Saturday, in contrast to the other candidates.
Thompson spoke for only a few minutes and then abruptly left the stage, leaving many scratching their heads.
In one of the early primary states, South Carolina, the field of front-runners is getting crowded. Thompson, Huckabee, and Romney are within the margin of error to be considered a statistical tie.
Both Romney and Giuliani are counting on the early primaries to gain traction, such as Iowa and Florida. Romney leads in Iowa while Giuliani leads in Florida. Yet Giuliani polled a dismal eighth at a GOP forum in D.C. early in the day on Saturday.
Does this mean that a truly dark horse could come galloping to the front to save the day? Ron Paul waits in the wings despite the nervousness many GOP operatives feel about his candidacy.
The mere fact that the GOP field is this murkey with a little over 2 months to go to the primary season is reason to believe that the field is wide-open.
It is not as if they had no other options than Brownback. But the social conservatives have been split between several candidates, and with one of them gone the others stand to gain.
Several of the current GOP Presidential hopefuls could potentially benefit from Brownback's departure, given their pro-life stance. These include Duncan Hunter, Mike Huckabee, and Mitt Romney.
Even John McCain could benefit, given his lifelong support of right-to-life.
Giuliani's front-runner status in national polls cannot be trusted at this point, given that the numbers have tended to swing wildly.
Currently some polls show Giuliani with a 10-point lead over 2nd place contender Fred Thompson. Yet Giuliani's problems are mounting with some of his views on social issues.
Further, some GOP activists are beginning to openly question the Fred Thompson candidacy. It seems that more than a few of the GOP faithful were miffed that Thompson gave a very short speech to a forum in Florida on Saturday, in contrast to the other candidates.
Thompson spoke for only a few minutes and then abruptly left the stage, leaving many scratching their heads.
In one of the early primary states, South Carolina, the field of front-runners is getting crowded. Thompson, Huckabee, and Romney are within the margin of error to be considered a statistical tie.
Both Romney and Giuliani are counting on the early primaries to gain traction, such as Iowa and Florida. Romney leads in Iowa while Giuliani leads in Florida. Yet Giuliani polled a dismal eighth at a GOP forum in D.C. early in the day on Saturday.
Does this mean that a truly dark horse could come galloping to the front to save the day? Ron Paul waits in the wings despite the nervousness many GOP operatives feel about his candidacy.
The mere fact that the GOP field is this murkey with a little over 2 months to go to the primary season is reason to believe that the field is wide-open.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
BREAKING NEWS: NEWT WON'T RUN IN '08
Fox News has confirmed that former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich will not seek the Republican nomination for a bid for the White House in '08.
According to Fox News' Senior correspondents Chris Wallace and Carl Cameron, Mr. Gingrich decided that it was unrealistic to expect to raise 30 million dollars in the final quarter of 2007, a feat that has never been accomplished in a three-month period.
Gingrich had flirted with the idea of throwing his hat into the ring this year and stated that he would run if he could raise 30 million dollars. The former Speaker was set to announce tomorrow the formation of an exploratory committee that would have set in motion the fundraising process.
However, Mr. Gingrich concluded after carefully assessing the lay of the political landscape that such a goal was much too lofty. In addition, his candidacy would have further split the conservative vote among Republicans, most of whom at this point indicate that they prefer Fred Thompson.
With Gingrich in the race, Rudy Giuliani stood to gain the most. A Gingrich candidacy would have meant fragmentation for GOP conservatives, with Giuliani clearly reaping the benefits.
A few national polls show Giuliani ahead of Fred Thompson by anywhere from 3 to 6 percentage points. Other polls show Thompson ahead of Giuliani by 3 to 5 percentage points.
However, when one considers state-by-state straw polls and early data indicating the voting preferences of those most likely to vote in the various Republican primaries, Fred Thompson is clearly ahead of the game. Ohio is the latest state to join the Thompson bandwagon.
Information we have been able to gather around the country shows that Thompson is ahead in Ohio, Indiana, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Missouri.
Had Gingrich entered the race, at least half of these states would be a toss-up between Thompson and Gingrich.
Giuliani is ahead in states that in recent years have tended to support Democrats, such as New York, New Jersey, California, and Pennsylvania. However, Pennsylvania is ripe for the picking for a strong conservative candidate such as Thompson, with the state's rather large GOP issues-oriented groups such as gun owners and social conservatives.
This means that Giuliani will need to begin showing strength in areas that are perfect for a candidate such as Thompson. So far, we do not see Giuliani winning a single primary in the South and Southwest, two areas he desperately needs in order to win the GOP nomination.
With Gingrich out of the picture, don't be surprised by a Thompson sweep of everything south of the Mason-Dixon and west of the Mississippi, with the exception of California.
According to Fox News' Senior correspondents Chris Wallace and Carl Cameron, Mr. Gingrich decided that it was unrealistic to expect to raise 30 million dollars in the final quarter of 2007, a feat that has never been accomplished in a three-month period.
Gingrich had flirted with the idea of throwing his hat into the ring this year and stated that he would run if he could raise 30 million dollars. The former Speaker was set to announce tomorrow the formation of an exploratory committee that would have set in motion the fundraising process.
However, Mr. Gingrich concluded after carefully assessing the lay of the political landscape that such a goal was much too lofty. In addition, his candidacy would have further split the conservative vote among Republicans, most of whom at this point indicate that they prefer Fred Thompson.
With Gingrich in the race, Rudy Giuliani stood to gain the most. A Gingrich candidacy would have meant fragmentation for GOP conservatives, with Giuliani clearly reaping the benefits.
A few national polls show Giuliani ahead of Fred Thompson by anywhere from 3 to 6 percentage points. Other polls show Thompson ahead of Giuliani by 3 to 5 percentage points.
However, when one considers state-by-state straw polls and early data indicating the voting preferences of those most likely to vote in the various Republican primaries, Fred Thompson is clearly ahead of the game. Ohio is the latest state to join the Thompson bandwagon.
Information we have been able to gather around the country shows that Thompson is ahead in Ohio, Indiana, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Missouri.
Had Gingrich entered the race, at least half of these states would be a toss-up between Thompson and Gingrich.
Giuliani is ahead in states that in recent years have tended to support Democrats, such as New York, New Jersey, California, and Pennsylvania. However, Pennsylvania is ripe for the picking for a strong conservative candidate such as Thompson, with the state's rather large GOP issues-oriented groups such as gun owners and social conservatives.
This means that Giuliani will need to begin showing strength in areas that are perfect for a candidate such as Thompson. So far, we do not see Giuliani winning a single primary in the South and Southwest, two areas he desperately needs in order to win the GOP nomination.
With Gingrich out of the picture, don't be surprised by a Thompson sweep of everything south of the Mason-Dixon and west of the Mississippi, with the exception of California.
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