Posted on 03/18/2002 3:21:54 PM PST by PJeffQ
A Palmetto Journal analysis of contributions to federal candidates over the past 20 years by Republican gubernatorial candidates turned up some interesting facts. The two most notable ones involved Lieutenant Governor Bob Peeler and Attorney General Charlie Condon. When both were nominated for their current positions in 1994, an article in The State pointed out that the top 3 GOP nominees (including David Beasley) had all been Democrats less than 5 years before.
In 1988, Al Gore ran for President as a moderate Democrat. In fact, at that point Gore's voting record indicated him to be staunchly pro-life (before his later reversal.) The Al Gore of that time had consistently voted against federal funding of abortion. Gore was considered to be the leading candidate among many moderate Southern Democrats that year. However, Bob Peeler, then living in Gaffney, gave $500 on 3/3/88 to the campaign of Dick Gephardt, who won three primaries that year.
In 1994, Peeler was criticized in the GOP primary for Lt. Governor by opponent Henry Jordan over allegations that he supported Bill Clinton in the 1992 Democratic Primary. Peeler denied the claim and said he voted for Bob Kerrey, who had dropped out of the race two days prior to the primary.
However, according to news reports at the time, Jordan claimed that his staff's research revealed no votes for Kerrey from Peeler's precinct (Gaffney 4) in Cherokee County. Peeler chalked it up to problems with the vote tally, while Jordan ran radio and television commercials claiming Peeler voted for or supported Bill Clinton.
According to an August 19, 1994, article in The State,: In 1992, 13 votes were cast for Kerrey in Peeler's Cherokee County. In Gaffney 4, former California Gov. Jerry Brown received four votes, Clinton received 68, former Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin got two votes, former Massachusetts Sen. Paul Tsongas 11, and USC Professor Bill Kreml, one. Six votes went to uncommitted Democratic delegates.
Also in the same article, Peeler told The State, "he could not remember the timing of events connected with his vote." This was in response to a question asking why he had voted for a candidate no longer actively in the race.
In 1994, Peeler also gave $500 to the campaign of Congressman Bob Inglis. In 1999, he gave $1000 to the presidential campaign of George Bush. In 2000, he gave $1000 to the campaign of Congressman Floyd Spence, $1000 to the campaign of Congressman Henry Brown and $1000 to the congressional campaign of Carl Gullick. In 2001, he gave $2,000 to the campaign of Congressman Joe Wilson and $1,000 to the federal account of the SC GOP.
In 1986, Charlie Condon gave $500 to the Senate campaign of Fritz Hollings. This was the same year that current SC GOP Chairman Henry McMaster, who may be mulling a run for the Attorney General's job this year, ran against Hollings. In 1992, Condon turned around and gave $1,000 to the campaign of Tommy Hartnett, who ran against Hollings.
In 1990, Condon gave $250 to the re-election campaign of Strom Thurmond. While back in 1992, he also gave $1,000 the Bush-Quayle campaign.
In 1994, Condon gave $300 to the campaign of Congressman Bob Inglis. In 1995, he gave $1,000 to the campaign of Bob Dole.
In 2000, Condon gave $1,000 to the campaign of Congressman Henry Brown and $690 to the Bush campaign. The year before Condon gave $1,000 to the primary campaign of Elizabeth Dole, whose campaign featured Condon as state chairman.
Other candidates gave money to federal candidates also.
In 1995, Mark Sanford gave $500 to the campaign of Clint Day for U.S. Senate (from GA) and $2,500 to the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC.) In 1996, he gave $2,500 to the NRCC, $400 to the federal account of the SC GOP and $1,000 to the campaign of Van Hilleary for Congress (from TN.)
In 1998 and 1999, Sanford gave a combined total of $7,000 to the NRCC.
In the 1983-84 campaign cycle, Sec. of State Jim Miles contributed $1,000 to the U.S. Senate campaign of Jesse Helms, $500 to the re-election campaign of then-Congressman Carroll Campbell, $500 to the re-election campaign of Strom Thurmond and $500 to the federal account of the SC GOP.
In 1991, Jim Miles gave $250 to the U.S. Senate campaign of Sue Myrick.
In 1998, Miles gave $1,000 to the unsuccesful congressional campaign of Mike Fair and $250 to his own Senate campaign (which never got off the ground.) Miles later returned the $250 to himself.
Stay tuned tomorrow for a challenge to one of the GOP gubernatorial candidates....
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