From Wikipedia's article on South Carolina:
In 1964, Barry Goldwater became the first Republican to win the state since Reconstruction. Since then, South Carolina has voted for a Republican in every presidential election from 1964 to 2004, with the exception of 1976 when Jimmy Carter, from neighboring Georgia, won the state over Gerald Ford. George W. Bush won the state in 2004 with 58% of the statewide vote over Senator John Kerry. Republicans now control the governorate, eight of nine statewide offices, both houses of legislature, both U.S. Senators, and four of six members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
SC should have been conservative enough to give Fred more than 15.7% of the vote, if Fred had a chance nationally. Hunter trailed Fred badly, and he now supports Huckabee, which should say all that needs saying about his candidacy.
Rather than complain about the primary schedule, we need better candidates. Where are the young, smart, dedicated, charismatic conservative candidates? Who, for example, is the conservative Republican version of Obama? By that I don't necessarily mean black, but young, smart, and able to appeal to college students?
Basically, they have none. All the RINOs are old men now. No young blood. J.C. Watts might have been a good choice, but he quit on us. He left Congress. His choice, but, he could have been a good one. But, they have no good, solid, young ones that would interest anyone nationally. Look at the Republican field in this election. There is NOT one candidate that everyone can rally too. They are basically all the same, liberal, socialist, RINOs. They differ a bit here and there, but are mainly the same. Just change the face. The words and actions are basically the same. No, the republican party has pretty much put its self back to the 1960s again. It is going to take another 20-30 years for them to crawl back up. Then, they will repeat their stupidity again, and down they will go. Republicans are republicans own worse enemy. I only have to offer RINOcrat Socialist Party member, liberal president Jorge Bush as an example.