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.
That's what happens when a person gets full of himself.
The GOP leadership doesn't care.
It's our job to make them care.
With our time and our money. I won't stand for an Arnold in the White House. See tag line.
Great showing Hunter!!!
I don't believe he's capable of more.
And the worst nightmare of the resurgent Rockefeller so-called Republicans. 100 GOA rating. Sponsor of the fence legislation. Solidly pro-life.
As Hunter said, he doesn't need a multi-million dollar campaign to convince the base he's a conservative.
(((((RUDY PING)))))
Rudy Giuliani - because Arnold can't run for President!
Congratulations Rudy and Duncan!
Compare that to Hunter's limited resources.
YOU RUDY BOOSTERS STILL THINK YOU CAN WIN IT ALL WITHOUT US? OR EVEN WIN? WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED.
Hunter made it a contest without Rudy's MSM name recognition and without Rudy's bucks.
"Duncan Hunter had 80 votes. Rudy only had 103, yet the media was going wild...well, Carl Cameron anyway...over the "liberal" Rudy winning the SC straw poll."
Fox News is one very small step above Entertainment Tonight.
Who has the full results? Top to bottom?
Yeah, the ratings are nearly identical!(sarcasm)
Title is slightly off:
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/16814143.htm
Has the numbers as:
"With 71 of 75 precincts reporting, Giuliani had garnered 123 votes. California Rep. Duncan Hunter was running in second place, with 110 votes, and Arizona Sen. John McCain at 86 votes, according to county GOP officials.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney had 59 votes, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback had 68 votes and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee rounded out the front-runners, with 18 votes."
Has anyone posted to the local message board?
"...Fox News is one very small step above Entertainment Tonight."
True but other TV news is a big step below ET.
Hunter had his personality going for him. Many if not most of the voters saw him in person along with some of the other candidates. If Hunter did not have a winning personality he would not have come on so strong. This is all great news.
Wow! Still up for grabs.
AP Reporting:
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/politics/16814143.htm
With 71 of 75 precincts reporting
Giuliani 123 votes
Duncan Hunter 110 votes
John McCain 86 votes
Sam Brownback 68
Mitt Romney 59 votes
Mike Huckabee 18 votes
The more who see Hunter competitive might be more inclined to vote for him to send Rudy a message. "He can win." lol
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