DeMint wins GOP Senate runoff in South Carolina

[NewJerseyDem]

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/politics/8986136.htm

Three-term Rep. Jim DeMint soundly defeated former Gov. David Beasley on Tuesday to win a Republican runoff in South Carolina and earn a spot on the November ballot for an important Senate seat that has been occupied by the same Democrat for almost 40 years. With 92 percent of precincts reporting in South Carolina, DeMint had 59 percent, or 135,104 votes, while Beasley had 41 percent, or 92,549 votes. DeMint's victory ends a comeback attempt by Beasley, who was bounced from the governor's office in 1998 after angering voters by calling for lowering the Confederate flag from atop the Statehouse. Beasley, 47, was the early front-runner in the Senate race and DeMint, 52, was a relative unknown in much of the state until a few months ago, but he poured about $3.5 million into the campaign. DeMint will face Democratic state Education Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum this fall in a race that could help determine the balance of power in the Senate.

[bluestateguy]

1. That was just the real election right there

The November election is a formality for him.

[MasonJar]

2. I met Inez in D.C. at Emily's List; she is one impressive lady.

The buzz was that she is very popular in South Carolina. Here's hoping she can win.

[MasonJar]

3. bluestateguy, I just read your post. Are you from S.C.? Do you

know why the Pug is a shoe-in? Emily's List is backing Tenenbaum; they think she might win.

[DemoTex]

4. I'm new to SC (I'll vote in SC rather than NC ... long story there)

I think that this is good for Inez Tenenbaum's chances. I have already contacted the state Democratic Party to let them know they have a Texas Democrat activist in town, itching to bring down the prevailing GOP. I have been welcomed with opened arms.

[SayitAintSo]

5. Welcome to SC....

And good luck with the Democratic Party here. Hope your experience here is better than mine. But that's another story.....

[DemoTex]

6. Where are you?

I'm in downtown Greenville (part-time). Most of the time I am in NC at the mountain house (western Transylvania county). However, I shall call Greenville home for voting and church (4th Pres) purposes. I was married in the 4th Pres 30 years ago and I think it is somewhat liberal (relatively speaking). We shall see.

[rednek_Liberal]

10. Hey DemoTex

I work in Greenville too, though I live in Spartanburg.
Anytime you want to get together for lunch and some good discussion just let me know.. It'd be nice to have another like minded individual around.

[King of New Orleans]

7. Beasley would have been easier to beat

Closely tied to the religious right. Of course, now the religous right won't be enthusiastic about turning out in the fall.

Although now that i look at it, turnout wasn't really very good for the runoff

[NewJerseyDem]

8. But, the racists wouldn't have turned out for Beasley

His confederate flag stance would make it so that the real confederate flag lovers wouldn't support Beasley. DeMint is right wing enough to probably get the religious right on board. DeMint will have the problem that he is militantly pro-free trade in a protectionist state and that could hurt him while Beasley is less supportive of free trade.

[phoebe]

9. DeMint ties to Florida 2000 recount fiasco

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2002/080502a.htmlv

(posted this in the DU SC State Forum but...
Hopefully someone will see the light..??)

snip


The payments to the Republican activists are documented in hundreds of pages of Bush committee records – released grudgingly to the Internal Revenue Service last month, 19 months after the 36-day recount battle ended. Overall, the records provide a road map of how the Bush recount team brought its operatives across state lines to stop then-Vice President Al Gore’s recount efforts.

The records show that the Bush committee spent a total of $13.8 million to frustrate the recount of Florida’s votes and secure the state's crucial electoral votes for Bush. By contrast, the Gore recount operation spent $3.2 million, about one quarter of the Bush total. Bush spent more just on lawyers – $4.4 million – than Gore did on his entire effort.

snip

Only a handful of the Brooks Brothers rioters were publicly identified, some through photographs published in the Washington Post. Jake Tapper’s book on the recount battle, Down and Dirty, provides a list of 12 Republican operatives who took part in the Miami riot. Half of those individuals received payments from the Bush recount committee, according to the IRS records.

The Miami protesters who were paid by Bush recount committee were: Matt Schlapp, a Bush staffer who was based in Austin and received $4,276.09; Thomas Pyle, a staff aide to House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, $456; Michael Murphy, a DeLay fund-raiser, $935.12; Garry Malphrus, House majority chief counsel to the House Judiciary subcommittee on criminal justice, $330; Charles Royal, a legislative aide to Rep. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. $391.80; and Kevin Smith, a former GOP House staffer, $373.23.

[schultzee]

11. If you can donate to Tennenbaum. We need to get the Senate back.