Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Once a key primary issue, candidates now avoid discussing the flag
The Confederate flag flying on South Carolina Statehouse grounds has proved a divisive issue in past presidential primaries, with some White House hopefuls supporting it and others suggesting it should be taken down. But with three weeks left until the 2012 primary, it’s clear that the candidates are determined not to let the debate over taking down the flag take down their campaigns. Unlike previous campaigns in 1996 and 2000, when Republican presidential hopefuls including John McCain saw their hopes in South Carolina dashed because of strong stances against the flag, candidates have largely avoided the issue this year. While other states’ rights issues — such as Boeing’s clash with the National Labor Relations Board in Charleston and …
Monday, November 14, 2011
Republicans, Democrats unite in favor of primary mandate
Four South Carolina counties presented their arguments about the 2012 first-in-the-South primary to the South Carolina Supreme Court on Monday, stating that they had no obligation to cover the costs or to conduct the election. The four counties — Beaufort, Chester, Greenville and Spartanburg — filed suit despite a promise that the Republican Party would pay "all legitimate expenses," associated with the primary. Some county leaders said they were unsure about the commitment and wanted to be more involved in the decision-making process. Joel Collins, the lawyer for the counties, said the South Carolina law only required that the 2008 Presidential Primary be held, and that budget provisos made by the General Assembly during 2011 did not …
Friday, November 4, 2011
Case could impact Jan. 21 election
The S.C. Supreme Court will hear a case brought by four counties asking for more money to cover the costs of the first-in-the-South presidential primary. The Court will hear the case at 11 a.m. on Nov. 14, Deputy Clerk of Court Brenda Shealy said. The counties offered to settle the case last week if the state election commission placed $2.5 million in escrow to cover the costs of the primary, but state officials said they were confident the law was on their side. The counties filed the lawsuit against the state election commission and Republican Party in October after discussion about how to avoid a repeat of the 2008 primary. During that primary, some counties, including Greenville and Spartanburg, said they were left with thousands of …
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Deadline passes to register as a candidate
Nine Republican Presidential hopefuls are registered for the South Carolina primary, solidifying the field for the Jan. 21 contest. Candidates had until 5 p.m. on Tuesday to pay their required fees and completed applications to have their names officially printed on the ballot. Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Gary Johnson, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum all qualified for the 2012 South Carolina primary, SCGOP Chairman Chad Connelly announced. "Presidential candidates and Republican activists across our nation know South Carolina's 30-year tradition of successfully choosing the Republican nominee," Connelly said. In recent polls, Cain and Romney have performed well in South Carolina. Perry, …
Ellen
9:03 am on Thursday, December 29, 2011
Gingrich was correct when he said, “It’s up to the people of South Carolina”. It is, it was, and it's over and done. For the life of me, I don't know why some people (like the woman at the Town Hall event, for example) have to keep bringing it up again and again. It's past time for our State to move on to bigger and more important things! more ›