Posted on 07/13/2007 7:59:56 PM PDT by LdSentinal
AIKEN, S.C. | The oldest son of the late U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond may be going into the family business.
Strom Thurmond Jr. is considering running for a recently vacated state Senate seat once held by his father, according to reports published Thursday. Thurmond, 34, did not immediately return a telephone message left by The Associated Press.
Before officially becoming a candidate for the seat, Thurmond would have to move to the nearby Senate district with the vacancy.
"I have some loose ends to address - one of which would be to move the family," he said.
Thurmond served as U.S. attorney for South Carolina from November 2001 until his resignation in January 2005, when he returned to a private law practice in Aiken, where he was born.
The district with the open seat comprises Edgefield County and parts of Aiken, McCormick and Saluda counties. Thurmond currently lives in a different part of Aiken County.
State law requires candidates to live in the district when they file to run for office. Thurmond would have to get that done by Aug. 6. Party primaries are set for Sept. 18 and the general election will be Nov. 6.
State Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson said Thurmond seems a natural fit for a district that includes his father's hometown of Edgefield. Dawson said he and many others are encouraging Thurmond to enter the race.
"It's nice to have somebody with a gold standard name but a fresh face," he said. "He's just a nice guy and a real gentleman."
The late Thurmond served in politics for seven decades, as a state senator, governor and U.S. senator, winning his last election in 1996. The former Dixiecrat died in June 2003 at age 100. He was the nation's oldest and longest-serving senator when he retired earlier that year after 48 years in Washington.
His youngest son, Paul Thurmond, won a seat on the Charleston County Council in November.
The state Senate seat was vacated by Sen. Tommy Moore, a Clearwater Democrat who held it for 27 years. Moore, who lost a gubernatorial challenge to Gov. Mark Sanford in November, resigned to work as a lobbyist and public relations executive for a national payday lending group.
And at least one Democrat, state Rep. Bill Clyburn of Aiken, has said he will run for the seat.
Question how many rugrats Strom had
Why was I assuming that Strom’s son was 79 years old?
How old is he? 85?
nepotism.
i’m tired of family members running for dad’s, or hubbie’s, office.
look at bush-dud, hillary-parasite, ad infinitum.
“85?” No, the junior Thurmond is quite young. The senator’s second wife, like his first wife, (or was it actually third and second?), was young and a hottie.
He “produced” at a very advanced age, 65 or something.
Nepotism , not at all .
It’s more dynastic than anything , but in this case it would be great ... if Thurmond is good on the issues .
ick.
in socal we’re stuck with mary bono.
her hubbie skied into a tree, and she inherited his job—u.s. congressman...er...i mean woman.
whatta joke.
Junior might as well go for the “big one.” His name alone would depose that treacherous little Kennedy-fellatiating RINO $hit Graham.
“Get out of my daddy’s Senate seat !”
Every time I see a newspaper refer to government in the United States of America as, “the family business,” it makes me want to strangle the nearest editor.
First I would make him explain what monarchy is, though.
He was about 70 when Junior was born. Strom was just married the two times (his second wife was a beauty queen). The first wife never had children and she died tragically.
He had 5 children. His first was the woman by his parent’s maid when he was a youngster. The latter 4 were by his second wife. One of them is deceased now (killed by a drunk driver).
Yeah, she’s no Sonny
Well, just about anyone would be better than Lindsey Graham at this point. I hope Thurmond goes for it .
Well, if you consider it nepotism for him to run for an office his father last held in 1938...
Do you think his father will be active in the campaign?
I think Thurmond is supporting Lindsey Graham: he is running for a state Senate seat.
“It’s nice to have somebody with a gold standard name but a fresh face,” he said. “He’s just a nice guy and a real gentleman.”
All that matters is the name you run with folks... Dont worry about who they are...
Ouch, that’s not good . Is there anyone who is planning to take on Graham ?
Maybe Chester Lott, Jr. can throw him a party and say a few kind words, hmm?
Can't he find a job in the private industry?
After GWB, I'm through with father-son successions. We don't have "royalty" here for a reason. Something to do with "tyranny" and all that. We're a free people.
Don't care if he's a conservative. I wouldn't support him. Recycled political families have only hurt us as a nation.
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