Posted on 05/04/2014 5:00:57 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
There have been few targets among grassroots conservatives as large as South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham over the past few years. His “compromise” votes on subjects ranging from Obama nominees to government shutdowns have had the base up in arms, frequently bringing up promises of retribution during the next election cycle. Well, that time has arrived, but the comeuppance still doesn’t seem to be developing. Oh, he has challengers to be sure… six of them in fact, just in the primary. And yet, he doesn’t look like a guy with a lot of worries. According to at least one report, he’s managing this feat through a combination of goodwill, shrewd politics and nearly $7 million.
Rep. Mick Mulvaney was thought to be a credible challenger in the June 10 primary, until Graham inspired House leaders to give Mulvaney a seat on the House Financial Services Committee. Mulvaney opted against challenging the two-term senator.
A hacking episode resulted in the theft of South Carolina taxpayers’ personal information and a public relations problem for Gov. Nikki Haley, also up for re-election this year. Graham advised her on the situation, and now she has better poll numbers than he does.
It also helped that two of the most promising contenders to unseat him from his own party found, er… better things to do.
State Sen. Tom Davis, an aide to former Gov. Mark Sanford, predicted before the Republican convention in 2012 that South Carolina voters would oust Graham. But Davis said he could do more for his libertarian-leaning causes in the state Senate, and that to run against Graham, he would need to raise a lot of money.
There was a movement to draft Mulvaney, but he demurred, saying he doesn’t enter races he can’t win.
The crowded field of more than a half dozen people seems to be working as something of a double edged sword, given the way the South Carolina primary process works. On the one hand, Graham needs to get more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff, which becomes incrementally more difficult as more contenders throw their hats in the ring. On the other, having such a low signal to noise ratio, it becomes harder for the contenders to break through. None of the challengers are registering at more than 10% in the latest polls. Of course, if one of them does wind up in a runoff with Graham, that will focus attention and possible support, but would it be enough to surge into the lead? And let’s not forget the $7M advantage. It’s given Graham the luxury of time and greasing some palms to keep himself in good favor with the folks who count.
Whenever he isn’t in Washington, Graham is campaigning.
The money the senator has amassed for his race means he can run ads almost daily, host free barbecues and ice cream socials and organize the more than 5,000 precinct captains that he claims into a massive get-out-the-vote effort.
Any battle to unseat Graham was always going to be a tough one and it would require some serious organizational skills – as well as cash – to pull it off. Whether any of this crop of contenders can muster that type of effort will be coming clear next month. The South Carolina Senate primary takes place on June 10th.
Lindsey Graham cruising isn’t news.
“This is what happens when six competitors go up against one liberal. The liberal will win”......same thing’s gonna happen in the presidential primary, again, and we’re gonna get jeb bush.
That’s not correct for SC. One candidate has to get more than 50% of the vote or there is a runoff. So in this case, more challengers would be a good thing.
We can discuss this June 11. I’m marking my calendar. And this thread.
Taking the lesser of evils, on a consistent basis, marches you right down the line to great evil.
“Or is it that conservatives are overwhelmingly outnumbered”
I think demonrat electoral fraud is even worse than most of us imagine.
We will see.
People claim that they're conservative/against government spending, but the overwhelming vast majority turn around time and time again to vote for free goodies from their incumbent.
It doesn’t matter what angle one approaches it from.
Self professed Christians pushed it last election. Some in a decidedly unchristian manner, what with the personal attacks and all. But not one can square the promotion of any level of evil Biblical.
If one comes at it from a secular conservative standpoint, they have to explain how accepting lesser evil squares with an act that is by commission, situational ethics...which is outright against every principle of conservatism.
What it boils down to is simple. And also why they react to angrily. These people want to have their cake and eat it too, just like any other liberal. No one wants to tell their online BFF that they share cat pix with that, but it is provably true.
One cannot serve to masters. And people that refused to accept lesser evil candidates are not responsible for electing the wholly unprincipled idiots infesting congress and the senate. The elected reps that have assisted Obama ar every turn, refused to prosecute Holder and Lerner after all this time, had to be dragged screaming into Bhenghazi, promote Amnesty, refused to defend traditional marriage when the DOMA was their own law to begin with, are moderating more each day on abortion and homosexuality, screwed the vets out of benefits, funded Obamacare, sign check after check for anything the fool wants...
And so many more things that are no different in theory or in application than any POS Democrat.
All the above is factual. There is no exagerating, no dramatics. Not one of the lesser evils can refute it with fact, logic or reason. So why do they fight us? Why do they scream like the 5 year old throwing himself on the floor an a full blown tantrum?
Because they want their cake and want to eat ti too. They refuse to sacrifice anything to get a conservative elected. If the conservative isn’t the odds on favorite to win, they simply vote for the RINO... Then get EVERYTHING listed above, go online anf bitch to high heaven that the RINOs suck. WELL WHO PUT THEM IN POWER?
There is a Freeper running against Bhoner. No one talks about him. Most here don’t even know he’s running. There are tons of articles with Bhoner and rarely a mention of his competition. And what will they do? They will go vote for Bhoner. They will put these not so lesser evils back in or freshly into office for the almighty “Win no matter what”. They know they will support the Dems and they do it election after election. They cannot even man up and take the chance on voting for their ‘supposed’ beliefs.
Just look at what they ‘win’.
don’t believe it ... crist is seen as a genuine political scum bag ...
I can’t make heads or tails of your response. Wait a minute!
You must be a Gramnesty supporter? That could possibly explain it.
True, but it is open to question whether one good, bulleted primary opponent could inspire more people to come out and vote for him than four who have failed to distinguish themselves from a small-potatoes crowd.
Weed? Never! Vino bianco for me.
I was only commenting on the polls, obviously.
Now, come clean and admit it...you are a gramnesty supporter.
True?
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