Posted on 03/26/2013 2:36:44 PM PDT by God'sgrrl
Former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford is facing a runoff against Curtis Bostic for the GOP nomination for the state’s 1st Congressional District seat, which was vacated when Tim Scott was appointed to the Senate. One would think that Sanford’s infamous abandonment of his post to indulge in a fling with his Argentinian mistress would disqualify him from serious consideration by those who treasure “family values” or who think using public money for a dalliance isn’t the sign of a true fiscal conservative.more...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The ego of some of these screw ups mystifies me. They think they’re so great that their state or the country just can’t live without them. Barf. Why can’t they just go away?
Thanks Impy.
OK, I’ll take the contrarian position: either Sanford or Bostic should beat Colbert’s daughter, but Bostic would have a greater chance of blowing the election.
Coastal South Carolinians are not like those in the High Country—they are first and foremost economic conservatives, and many are turned off by religious conservatism. In 2008, when the SC-01 still included Myrtle Beach but before they added Hilton Head, its religious-conservative incumbent, Henry Brown, came within 2% of losing the seat to a lesbian Democrat. Fortunately Congressman Brown retired in 2010, a year in which the GOP was assured of carrying a district that Republican, and when political rock star Tim Scott, who is popular among both religious conservatives *and* economic conservatives, won the nomination, the seat became safely Republican.
Now it is open again (and, Impy, it is short-sighted and Monday-morning-quarterbacking to object to Gov. Haley appointing Scott to the Senate: it was by far the best decision for the Senate seat, not to mention for the conservative movement and the GOP), and it is actually bit less Republican than it was under its 2002-2010 lines: the McCain vote went from 57% under the old lines to 56% under the new lines. Of course, like everywhere other than heavily black areas, the Obama vote decreased in 2012, which allowed Romney to get 58% in the district, so the Republican base starts off with a clear majority. How many Republicans will stay home or vote for the “moderate” Democrat? And will Democrats turn out in droves to defeat the Republican? It will depend on who our nominee is.
I will predict that Sanford, who represented the district for years and who still is popular among economic conservatives (not to say that he isn’t a social conservative—he just doesn’t emphasize it as much) despite his adultery, will limit Republican defections and win with 53%. Bostic, whose baggage is ideological, not personal (Democrats will depict him as a “fundie” who won’t “support” rape victims and would be “intolerant”), would drive up RAT turnout more and would lose some economic conservatives, but should still win with 52%. And the odds of our nominee saying something stupid and losing the race is exponentially higher if Bostic, not Sanford, is the nominee. So, strange as it sounds, Sanford is our @safer bet.”
And as for what they will do in office, I think both would be terrific congressmen, but that Sanford would be likelier to take the lead in decreasing the size of government and reforming entitlements spending.
So count me as a Santorum supporter who would prefer that Sanford wins the nomination.
An interesting theory, but my gut (and some of that polling data) tells me they might be better off going with Bostic, precisely because he doesn’t have Sanford’s baggage. I’m not stupid enough to urge a vote against Sanford if he is the nominee, but I believe he is more of a lightning rod for the opposition. Ultimately, I believe this is more personal for Sanford, looking for redemption. That can be a risky and questionable motive for public office, because you’re making it about yourself and not your constituents. Sometimes I can agree with it, and sometimes I can’t. In this instance, I lean against.
I would take a PPP poll on that race with a heaping tablespoon of salt. Besides, IIRC, PPP had Bostic up by 1 and Sanford down 2 or something like that, so not even PPP has Bostic doing much better than Sanford in the general.
Here’s a recent NRO post on the race: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/344299/mark-sanford-taxpayers-choice-congress-deroy-murdock
A forceful argument for Sanford in that piece, indeed. Just as an aside, I do worry we may be stretched a bit too thin in those 6 SC districts. A Dem upset is possible in at least, what, 4 of those ? Drawing a 2nd Black Dem district would convert 6 tenuous districts to 5 safe.
” I do worry we may be stretched a bit too thin in those 6 SC districts. A Dem upset is possible in at least, what, 4 of those ? Drawing a 2nd Black Dem district would convert 6 tenuous districts to 5 safe.”
I don’t like it but I would rather concede them a 2nd Black seat rather than worry about several GOP seats falling to White rats who could then be statewide candidates.
I hope you are right about this race and that the former Mrs. Sanford doesn’t stir up a ruckus.
This article sheds some light on why so many Republicans fear that Bostic is not the right flavor of conservative for Lowcountry voters: he’s a self-described creationist. http://www.islandpacket.com/2013/03/30/2443446/endorsement-game-is-on-in-final.html
Democrats will have a field day with Bostic’s views if he wins the primary, even more so than with the “vulnerable” Sanford, and I could see Bostic losing the general even if he manages to keep his mouth shut for the next few weeks. Voters in Hilton Head and Charleston are not like those in Spartanburg.
I wish that Paul Thurmond had run in the special. While Sanford’s views are perfect for the district—he’s a social conservative and comfortable speaking in religious terms, but they don’t define him, and he’s as solid an economic conservative as they come—his Appalachian Trail incident and press conference makes him susceptible to negative ads. With Paul Thurmond as the GOP nominee, Democrats probably would have given the race no more than perfunctory attention.
I imagine if Sanford loses the special, State Sen. Thurmond would be a likely candidate in 2014.
Yeah, where was Palin? We needed her for this race. Stinkin’ whoremongering filthy SOB Sanford, who will just humiliate us like he humiliated Jenny if he wins. May he lose to the Democrat. I’m just furious that the SC GOP didn’t put a stop to this, or even possibly encouraged it. They’re the ones who give us Pandsie Graham, after all...
I will support the Democrat if Sanford wins this nom. I’m absolutely FURIOUS that this has been allowed to happen.
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