Posted on 03/01/2007 4:22:47 PM PST by meg88
Presidential rivals grasp at straw-poll glory By AARON GOULD SHEININ asheinin@thestate.com
FILE PHOTOGRAPH/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani More photos Anonymous critics aim at Romney Spartanburg — Agnes Spong thinks she’s landed in political heaven. The lifelong Republican from Upstate New York retired to Spartanburg two years ago and quickly discovered she was among friends.
“I think it was just about the greatest thing in the world,” Spong said Monday at Wade’s Restaurant prior to a campaign appearance by U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan.
Spong is not alone in thinking this Upstate bastion of Republicanism is the greatest thing since Barry Goldwater.
Brownback and about a half-dozen other GOP presidential hopefuls are spending thousands of dollars and making countless campaign phone calls and personal visits to the county in advance of tonight’s straw poll vote.
The Spartanburg County Republican Party’s 93 precincts will meet to elect officers and county executive committee members. Then, participants will “vote” for their choice for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination.
It’s a long way from primary day — but you wouldn’t know it.
“It’s been awful,” said Jimmy Moore, organizer at Westview A, one of the largest Republican precincts in the state.
“I have literally every single day gotten 10 calls from these people (candidates). It just gets annoying. If this is what’s happening a year out from the primary, what the heck is going to happen later?”
County party Chairman Rick Beltram said candidates are pouring money and energy into Spartanburg:
nþBrownback and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani have sent thousands of direct-mail pieces to Republican voters.
nþFormer Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is running TV ads and has done direct mail.
nþThose three, along with U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., have visited the county in recent weeks.
CNN reported on the straw poll Wednesday. Beltram said Fox News’ “Hannity & Colmes” will broadcast straw-poll results live from county party headquarters tonight.
As Beltram explained the attention, his other phone line rang; it was The New York Times.
“The whole week, it’s been constant like this,” he said.
Why?
The answer depends on the campaign. For McCain, the S.C. front-runner, a good showing confirms his status. For Brownback, who’s on a different tier than McCain and Giuliani, it’s an opportunity to break through.
Moore agrees but says there is another reason: money. The winner gets to tell donors, “See, those Spartanburg County Republicans down in South Carolina love me, and that’s why you should give me money,” he said.
It also illustrates a candidate’s ability to win in a key county in a key state. George W. Bush won 58 percent of the vote in Spartanburg County in 2000. McCain had 36 percent. Bush won the state overall with 53 percent.
The GOP grip on the county is fierce. Gov. Mark Sanford took 61 percent of the county’s vote last year, up from 59 percent in 2002.
Even when Democrats win statewide, they typically lose Spartanburg. Democrat Jim Hodges defeated Republican incumbent Gov. David Beasley in 1998 but lost Spartanburg 48-52 percent. However, keeping the race close in Spartanburg also may be a key to Democratic success.
Jim Rex came as close as any Democrat, but still lost when he defeated Republican Karen Floyd for state education superintendent last year. Rex lost the county, where Floyd lives, by only about 200 votes.
The Spartanburg County Republican Party has been holding straw polls since 2001, Beltram said. The first one in late 2001 was for the 2002 gubernatorial primary. Then-Lt. Gov. Bob Peeler won — but not by much.
“Even though he won, people went back and said, ‘Wow, he’s vulnerable,’” Beltram said. Sure enough, Peeler was the top vote-getter in the primary but lost the runoff to Sanford.
In late 2003, the straw poll for the U.S. Senate primary gave Greenville’s Jim DeMint a boost. DeMint won the straw poll, finished second in the primary then swamped Beasley in the runoff.
All the attention is exhausting but encouraging, Beltram said.
“When I was elected chairman in 1999, I told delegates my No. 1 goal was to make the relevance of (the) Spartanburg County party as high as I can take it. That’s what we’ve done.”
Reach Gould Sheinin at (803) 771-8658.
WHY SPARTANBURG?
Tonight’s straw poll: The event has grabbed national media attention.
sadly this is going to be true if the party turns away from Duncan Hunter!!
Go Originalists! Isn't that the Thomas school?
BTW, nice born-on date! ;-)
No doubt you're petitioning the anti-Rudy crowd which you should given he's your man. And, he's a good man.
Rudy inherited a situation that couldn't have been worse. He rightly corrected course and guided NYC down a better path. He went right in many areas a liberal would have gone left. He provided NYC the vaccination it craved which unfortunately only appears to be administered by Republicans. Generally his popularity among those in the Tri-State area is well deserved as is the respect he's garnered that comes from both sides of the political spectrum. He's IS NY City's Mayor. The Nation's 50 States, however, is not a conglomerate of 50 NY Cities.
The Rudy jump squad needs to understand the degree of frustration and disappointment Conservatives have regarding the lack of attention and action given to key concerns Conservatives champion. No amount of hype or hysteria designed to alter the Conservative mindset will have any effect whatsoever. To the contrary, it will only ignite passion that too often goes unexpressed.
If Rudy is interested in the Conservative vote, he'll need to get serious on the major issues we all know about but so many choose to ignore.
"(((((RUDY PING)))))"
Thanks for the ping areafiftyone. Rudy SUCKS, doesn't he?
Go Duncan! He really has some momentum now.
Headline: Fox News admits Duncan Hunter exists.
Fox News before poll: Duncan Hunter will lose.
Fox News during poll: Duncan Hunter does not exist.
Fox News now: Our bad.
***Very funny, thanks!
MSM News tomorrow morning: Dewey Wins!
The latest vote is Guiliani 158 and Hunter 152. Only 6 votes difference. LOL. This is so funny as you said beating the wealthiest RINO in the race.
lol
This, with NO press, demonstrates Hunter's viability as a candidate. Another $25 to the Hunter campaign!
If the people of SC didn't know about Duncan Hunter they do now. I'd like to see another vote in three months.
Duncan Hunter got more attention, and Rudy didn't win anything.
Has the final tally come in?
I don't know. There's a small chance Hunter could actually win this thing. Either way it is a huge victory.
So, you'd rather have him vote with John Conyers and the Dems and expand internet gambling? Is that the one you're talking about?
Do you mean he's a "masterdebater"?
Hunter drops two S.C. advisers
Republican presidential candidate and California congressman Duncan Hunter has dropped two top South Carolina advisers a week after they were appointed because of their inflammatory statements about immigrants and religious minorities.
Hunter spokesman Roy Tyler confirmed Thursday that former GOP lieutenant governor candidate Henry Jordan and Horry County Auditor Lois Eargle would no longer serve as campaign co-chairs.
Eargle, speaking Feb. 22 at a news conference, said an illegal immigrant with three children came to her office the day before asking for free legal help for an abused child.
“I told her the best thing for her to do was to get back to Mexico,” Eargle said then.
http://www.thestate.com/mld/state/news/politics/16813983.htm
"Hannity supports Rudy, which is why he downplayed Hunter's showing."
I noticed that too. Seems awfully hypocritical on Hannity's part. I can only conclude that it must have something to do with WH or GOP approval of Rudy vs. anyone else, and certainly not a pro-border security/anti-illegal immigration candidate like Hunter.
I hope Hunter makes it to the top...I'm going to enjoy watching the pro-illegal open border types squirm in the same muck we were in for the '06 elections. Wonder it they'll stay home :)
"Eargle, speaking Feb. 22 at a news conference, said an illegal immigrant with three children came to her office the day before asking for free legal help for an abused child.
“I told her the best thing for her to do was to get back to Mexico,” Eargle said then."
I can understand why Hunter felt it necessary to let her go, but it won't affect his campaign at bit, I'll bet many agree with Eargle... I see nothing wrong with what was said, give them a plane ticket home, away from whatever the abusive situation is and let the child get help from social services in his own country.
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