Posted on 04/18/2014 5:09:42 AM PDT by cotton1706
Five South Carolinians seeking the Republican nomination to the U.S. Senate clearly have one thing in common: They don't approve of the Republican incumbent, Lindsey Graham.
Those candidates Det Bowers, Richard Cash, Bill Conner, Benjamin Dunn and Nancy Mace spent more than two hours in a debate sponsored by the Aiken Republican Club on Wednesday.
The media maintains that Graham will win in a landslide, but he actually is fighting for his political life, said Mace, a small-business owner.
We know the truth, she said. He can't even muster the support of 50 percent of the people in his own party. (Graham) has voted to increase taxes by $600 billion and has been there for anybody with his hand out in regard to foreign aid, rather than his own nation.
Conner is an attorney and Army veteran, as is Dunn, a late entry in the contest. Cash is the founder and owner of two small businesses, while Bowers, a late entry to the primary, is a Columbia pastor. Graham did not attend the event, and a seventh candidate, S.C. Sen. Lee Bright, canceled his appearance after the Senate was called into session.
The event attracted about 250 people to the URS Center for the Performing Arts. Panelists providing questions were Aiken City Councilman Dick Dewar, USC Aiken political science professor Dr. Bob Botsch and broadcast journalist Lauren Walsh.
Dewar was impressed with the candidates especially with Bowers' passion for politics.
They all share conservative values, Dewar said. All of us believe that Graham does not.
(Excerpt) Read more at aikenstandard.com ...
Det Bowers seemed like too much of an old, slow-talking, southern coot. And Mace I think is just a talking point candidate. Connor and Dunn seemed a little bland but I'm going to try and find the full video so I can make a better assessment.
Bright was in session in the SC Senate .and he’s not going to do any more debates without Graham. These guys have been debating each other for months.
IMO Cash is focused on the wrong issues. Good man. Believes the right things, wrong focus.
Oh, ok. I thought this was their first one. It’s the first time I’ve seen any of them speak to get a feel for their style.
No, they’ve had a ton of them many before Det Bowers, a Dukakis Campaign manager by the way, even got it. Some before Connors got in. At SC Tea Party Convention in Myrtle, consensus was Bright carried the day, followed by Connor, Cash and then Mace.
Ok. Thanks. Good to know.
Any feel for the race down there? I still think Graham will have to face a runoff.
Give Mace some credit..she was the FIRST to challenge Graham..she opened the door..
50 seems a very high bar for Graham to reach in primary. Weather could be the key. Higher turn out means more luke warm folks - not paying attention, but just going out and lazily pulling the lever for the well known name.
Bad weather would work against Lindsey. The informed people do not like him, and they will vote regardless. Pray for rain, LOTS OF IT, June 10.
She was the first to officially announce - not the first to start working behind the scenes.
True. But, OTOH, I’ve been working behind the scenes for years, planning to run for President, but I’ve yet to announce.
But that “other hand” is not germaine to this at all. One candidate knew for 6 months before he announced that he was running. Perhaps others did too, meaning the door was not kicked in with the first official announcement, which is what your post infers.
You just did. Have you set up a campaign and donation site?
Working on it...I’ll only accept contributions via PayPal and BitCoin
Was it televised?
Were you able to attend this event?
Unfortunately no.
Just a word of explanation from someone who lives in Aiken County.
The Aiken Republican Club is a political/social club. Heavy on the social.
The Aiken Republican Party represents the Republican party in Aiken County.
I personally have nothing against either of them. There’s plenty of cross pollination :)
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