Posted on 09/03/2013 9:07:24 AM PDT by cotton1706
SPARTANBURG, South Carolina -- Nancy Mace, the first female graduate of Charlestons military college The Citadel and one of three primary challengers to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), told Breitbart News on Monday that Graham is as weak as he has ever been politically, meaning a Tea Party challenger like her could sweep in and take Graham down in a potential runoff election after the primary early next summer. Lindsey Graham is the most vulnerable hes ever been, Mace said in an interview here at the classic car contest and Tea Party candidate forum at the Beacon Drive-In. Fortunately, in South Carolina, you need more than money to win a Republican primary.
Graham is sitting on $6 million in his campaign fund war chest, but Mace argues that Graham spending too much money on television and radio ads in South Carolina will turn off voters. At some point, you over-saturate, Mace said. Youre going to reach a certain saturation point in media and in direct mail as well. Certainly, you have to raise a certain amount of funds in order to be competitive. And, to show credibility, you need to be on TV. Youve got to raise a certain amount of money to be able to do that. Youve got to raise a certain amount of money to be able to be out there to build a grassroots network. The person who is going to be in the runoff with Senator Graham is going to have raised enough money to build that network, to be able to be on TV a little bit, and to be able to reach their message across the entire state. And thats important.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
South Carolina is not Texas, Mace added. You dont need to raise $8 million to win a U.S. Senate race. Our media markets are a lot less expensive here.
Mace said that, ultimately, the goal in South Carolina is for the Tea Party candidates to get the race against Graham past the primary into a runoff in much the same way now Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) beat the GOP establishments candidate David Dewhurst in Texas last year. The goal here is to have a runoff in one way, shape or form. I believe that the individual that is in the runoff will win the runoff, Mace said. Whatever percentage Sen. Graham receives, I believe he is going to top out at that percentage. There is some talk right now of extending the runoff from two weeks [after the primary] to four weeks. If it is four weeks, there is an even better chance of that happening.
Maces campaign is barely a month old, but she said she has raised quite a bit of money to challenge Graham already. Weve raised about $100,000 and Ive lost 10 pounds, Mace said with a laugh. So, for me, its two thumbs up so far. But in all seriousness, my goal right now is to get out and meet as many people as I can in South Carolina and its to double that network and its to raise the funding necessary in order to beat Sen. Graham.
Graham on Monday met with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and President Barack Obama to help Obama plan possible military action in Syria. He has not held any town hall meetings with constituents during the August recess and held just one tele-town hall via phone, a move that allows politicians to pre-screen questions.
If Mace were South Carolinas U.S. Senator, she told Breitbart News s he would actually be meeting with voters. I would talk to the voters of South Carolina, she said. One of the things that I hear repeatedly on the campaign trail is that Sen. Graham is not here, that hed rather be on TV than interact with and talk to and listen to the people of South Carolina. I think its important to have a voice in D.C., and the people of South Carolina deserve representation in D.C. even if it means that Im standing alone.
Would it surprise anyone here that, if he lost the primary, Graham would run as either an independent to prevent a Republican victory, or try to run as a Democrat? Wouldn’t surprise me in the least. He’s just another self-entitled politician.
I’ve never seen her simply called “Nancy Mace,” it’s always “Nancy Mace, the first female graduate of Charlestons military college The Citadel.”
Asside from graduating from The Citadel, has she done anything?
I would love to see Goober taken down. But I can see the future and it reminds me of the GOP presidential primaries in 2012. There are three announced candidates opposing Goober. If two don’t drop out, they’re going to splinter the conservative vote, leaving him to get the nomination, possibly with less than a majority.
It’s sad. But we do this to ourselves over and over and over. Getting depressing to tell the truth.
Hank
He is definitely vulnerable. He is an Al Qaeda assistant.
I’m pretty sure that SC rules don’t allow for that. Only way would be as a write in candidate...
In South Carolina, the more candidates the better. There is a runoff if no candidate reaches 50%. Then there will be a one on one race.
Ah..so it could be a Ted Cruz type situation! That’s exactly how it happened with Ted.
As I recall, though, we had pretty much a two man primary - though I think there was a third guy too, who dropped off in terms of support pretty early on.
I’m still afraid that with 4 people (so far), no one will get enough critical mass to make him/her look like a viable alternative and generate the excitement needed to take down Goober.
I can always hope, though. Man it would be fun to watch McCain’s head explode!
Hank
Thank you, Captain Obvious.
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