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.
Hunter is gaining momentum, rudy has peaked out. Later, abortion lovers.
That would be important in a primary. It is meaningless for a county republican committee straw poll.
If Hunter has ANY organization whatsoever, he threw his entire resources at calling EVERY SINGLE MEMBER of this committee (apparently not too hard, because only a few hundred people are voting in this straw poll).
We had more people show up in our county on a saturday just to pick a replacement candidate for a special election.
Apparently, many of the other candidates weren't as good at convincing 150 people to pick them.
But at least this should get Hunter's name out there in the general media. That's the first step.
If Hunter's team could now come up with evidence that Hunter is a strong leader, and not just a person who votes right on the issues.....
Most of the FReepers here would love to see a Reagan like candidate. Someone who had experience negotiating/playing hardball with labor unions, worked his way to the governorship, proven experience managing to conservative ideals and extremely persuasive.
Reagan yielded to no one in his views of conservatism, but he sure didn't make his way by using a tone similar to your last comment.
Many of us here are pro Life, but in your last comment, you did your candidate a bad turn. Most of us won't base our vote on a FReeper's comment, but there are consequences for being an ineffective communicator.
EVERYTHING is a shock to McCain. Everything.
Coming in second ain't exactly ass-kicking, especially for Hunter in South Carolina. But if he wins the nomination I will vote for him and wish him well.
Sorry, but considering the Rudy boosters have been running around saying Hunter has no chance, this shows that the grassroots CAN get a candidate to the front of the pack.
"It was Duncan Hunter that stole that show."
I thought Hunter's speech at CPAC was going to be carried on C-SPAN, but I don't see him listed on the schedule. The CPAC coverage starts at 10:00 (eastern) this morning with Rudy'a speech at 12:00 noon. Does anyone know when Hunter is to speak or if he already did? Hopefully at least his transcript will be available. Thanks!
A video would be even better. I am going to check HotAir later today. Ian Schwartz and Allahpundit are very good about posting pertinent video.
Unlike the Democrat with an R supporters here on the FR, There are people with a conscience in America that have true convictions and will not allow a Left-wing Democrat win the GOP nomination.
It is not too late to withdraw your support for this true Democrat, Rudy.
I would like to find out the final tally on the straw poll. Seeing Hunter come in 2nd place has supercharged my enthusiasm!
Given the overwhelming coverage Guiliani has received from the media and the mega-bucks that big business has donated to him - I would expect him to win first place in this poll.
Given that the media has virtually ignored Duncan Hunter and lots of polls don't even has his name on them - and that so far, he is operating on the support of the "little guy" - to come in 2nd place, SO CLOSE to first place is outstanding!
It's an exciting thing to watch a candidate that mirrors your own core values - to start to gain momentum - when all of the odds are against him! I'm going to send him another donation & last night I sent out a gob of emails to people I know about his "small victory".
When you find out about Hunter - you like him!
GO DUNCAN HUNTER!!!
Methinks 9:00 p.m. is Sunsong's "nighty-night" time. Probably best to let her get her jammies on and get to bed so mommy doesn't get mad at us and ban her from using the computer. Multiple posts repeating the same words are indeed a sign of immaturity. At least we Duncan Hunter [adults] supporters come up with original postings.
Duncan won, maybe not in numbers, but in positive exposure. Hope the media picks up on it.
Good analogy, blur.
http://www.cpac.org/agenda_30207.html
Here is today's schedule at CPAC...
C-pan is showing some things...but Hunter will have already spoken, I am afraid.
American Conservative Union
http://www.conservative.org/pressroom/2007/070227pr.htm
202-321-0715
Duncan Hunter is scheduled for Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Not sure if C-Span will cover it tomorrow. I'll be calling to find out and let you know. Maybe we should all call? It might open more eyes.
It is good that Hunter has done well but "kicked ass" is reserved for winning. "Put up a good fight" would be more accurate.
How dare Shaun want to actually win in 08? Doesn't he know Dramatic gestures in Defeat is sooo much more important..
Given how early this process is and how far back he started in the name recognition game, it is kicking arse.
And Hunter DID win an AZ straw poll as well.
Sean is just not that bright. He is a terrible debater being limited to going over his talking points repeatedly no matter what his antagonist says. He cannot think on his feet that well. Rush he ain't.
You don't know anyone who really thought Romney had a chance do you? The race is between Giuliani and McCain. Hunter's showing is excellent but lets not forget that Rudy won in the most conservative part of the most conservative state. This is good news to Hunter supporters only if they can manage to ignore that fact.
He will not do anywhere near as well elsewhere since almost everyplace else is much less conservative. Plus, these small operations are susceptible to bizarre results.
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