WOW! Such radical ideas! And I agree with every one of them. J
Posted on 10/18/2006 5:55:47 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued
Tom Ravenel 57%; Grady Patterson 41%
Good news in Dixie!
Great. Republicans in SC are VOTING!!!!!
Indeed, it looks like 'Rats in SC may become an endangered species.
But Sanatos carried SC on the West Wing?
LOL-- good one! Liberal wishful thinking.
Major General Patterson has held this office for FORTY straight years. I don't know why he is running again as a Democrat when his campaign website makes him look like a Republican (and he has a pic of himself shaking hands with fmr. President Bush, Sr.), and would've made better sense for him to do so (a la Ralph Hall in TX). Tom Ravenel took a risk running against this institution, and it looks like it may pay off for him.
So, if Ravenel wins, does he take on Lindsey Graham in the '08 primary? Or does he sit it out in order to run for Governor in 2010? I think I'd rather have Governor Sanford run against Graham in 2008, unless, of course, Sanford changes his mind and runs for President.
WOW! Such radical ideas! And I agree with every one of them. J
I'm not sure. When Ravenel announced he was running for State Treasurer, it worried me that he might not run for the Senate so soon (presuming he'd win the first contest). As I said above, he took a real risk in running against Patterson, because if he were to lose, he wouldn't be nearly as formidable a candidate against Graham in '08.
I doubt Sanford will challenge Graham. The two were elected Congresscritters in 1994. In fact, don't be surprised if Graham and Sanford endorse McCain. Both men endorsed McCain in 2000. Plus, Mike Farr, the state legislator of Greenville, is warming to McCain.
I don't think that a conservative will challenge Graham because of a dislike for his mentor McCain, I think it will be because of Graham (i) taking positions that are too liberal for South Carolina conservatives (which might be acceptable to them for an out-of-stater who is running for President but not for one of their Senators) and (ii) perhaps being, in the words of the SC Democrat Chairman, "light in the loafers."
I don't think someone from Up Country SC can or will challenge Graham, which is why Ravenel and Sanford make more sense to me.
That's... disturbing. You do have to wonder at what point that rational GOP pols would take a good, hard look at McCain and conclude he is clearly mentally unfit for not only the Presidency, but his current office.
McCain is over-rated. I'm surprised he gets a free pass from the Savings & Loan scandal of the 1980's. Or perhaps, the "objective" media is waiting until McCain wins the nomination.
The 2008 primary is not going to be fun. We may have to choose between the Bi-polar McCain, the empty suit Mitt, and the Uber-RINO Rudy.
As it was, South Carolina would (in the past) have a Senator from the Up Country and Low Country (Thurmond being from the "Up" and Hollings from "Low" -- although there was a 12-year overlap when Olin Johnston and his interim successor, Donald Russell, along with Thurmond represented the Up Country -- Thurmond's elected predecessor, Burnet Maybank was a "Low Country" Senator), so Ravenel could argue that his being Senator would more fairly geographically represent the state (as DeMint, too, is an Up Country Senator).
"Or perhaps, the "objective" media is waiting until McCain wins the nomination."
That's been the plan all along. The media plays him up as the greatest thing since sliced bread until he wins the nomination... and then they unload all hellfire and brimstone right afterwards, showing every nutcake clip, soundbyte and other error in judgment to obliterate him. And we all know what happens when McCain blows his stack on tv... the 'Rats will polish him off.
The geographic-balance issue would certainly help Ravenel or Sanford. While each election is an independent event, it could certainly add a few points to a candidate if he can claim that his region is being ignored.
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