Jim Rex for Governor?

Good for Jim Rex (0.00 / 0)

As the only current statewide-elected Democrat (and the public face of what has traditionally been the signature issue of Democrats in SC--education), Rex should have been the titular head of the South Carolina Democratic Party for the past few years of his service in office.  Instead you always hear about how he is taken for granted by the SCDP and its movers-and-shakers as if he is supposed to just be some sort of bureaucrat and not get to play politics like everyone else.  Rex needs to be taking steps to assert himself as a political leader in this state outside of his administrative functions as superintendent.  He has tried to do this with a decent online presence, which I have believed all along was intended to build his profile among educators and activists for a 2010 gubernatorial run.

He's all we got right now other than Spratt and Clyburn, and how did he most recently get awarded?  By having his role as a 2008 DNC superdelegate stripped away from him just because he didn't want to wade into the Clinton-Obama unresolved primary in favor of Obama.  I still think he feels burned by what Inez and some of those power players did to him.  Maybe that is at least part of the reason he is throwing a monkey-wrench into the race now: a "take me for grated and I'll show you" kind of thing.  

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by: blueinsc @ Thu Aug 06, 2009 at 13:53:07 PM CDT

Yep (4.00 / 1)

I agree that he's been trying to assert himself outside the SoE position for some time. Rex has been list-building online for over a year and was the first Dem leader to step out and position himself as the antithesis to Sanford during the stimulus showdown -- both big tip offs that he was planning to go for the gov seat.

Also agree with your analysis of his motivation/decision to mull over both races this late in the game. Should make for an interesting couple of weeks in SC Dem politics.

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by: Jennifer Read @ Fri Aug 07, 2009 at 08:37:25 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Rex vs. Sanford (0.00 / 0)

Jim Rex has been taking on Sanford for a while now. It's crystal clear which person is actively working hard to lead our state and which person thinks that signing his name is an onerous federal mandate.

Jim Rex is worried that Sanford will, yet again, stand in the way of federal funds coming to South Carolina.  Here's the description from Bill Davis:

He [Jim Rex] said the federal government has launched a $4 billion program to help states stay on the cutting edge of education. All the application process needs is two signatures, Rex said, his and the governor's.

Rex said he worried that Sanford wouldn't sign on, because the governor declined to sign onto a core standards program that was espoused by the National Governors Association.

If Sanford doesn't sign on, then this will be at least the third time Sanford refused to sign on: the standards program, the stimulus package, and now the innovation program.  You'll recall that it took a writ of mandamus from the SC Supreme Court to get Sanford to sign his name to the stimulus package.

The innovation program is called Race to the Top.  Jim Rex is doing his part as the co-pilot in the race, and Sanford the pilot is missing in action.  Will Sanford climb aboard the plane called South Carolina and help Jim Rex lead us in the race to the top?  Or will Sanford leave the pilot seat empty and race off in his own plane to who knows where, leaving us to crash-land, at the bottom?

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by: michaelrodgers @ Fri Aug 07, 2009 at 09:37:45 AM CDT

I do hope he won't do it (0.00 / 0)

I think Jim is doing a great job and I am a supporter of his.  He's a great fit for Superintendent. I hope he decides to stay put and run for reelection only because it's a bit late to run for governor.  We have at least one good candidate for governor.  Why is it all the folks are running for one office?  I know the answer but once again the democrats have no one to step out in faith.  If Jim hasn't been able to assert himself with our party, perhaps he doesn't have what it takes to run for governor.  He is a quick learner, I'm sure, but he's been playing it safe.  I don't blame him but he hasn't been very vocal or controversial on any issue.  Well, I take that back, I'm up in York County so who could know here.   We get virtually no news from Columbia save the Indigo Journal which I really appreciate more than you know. Speaking of playing it safe, if he runs for governor we'll almost guarantee to hand that office to the republicans.  

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by: Cherie Anne @ Sat Aug 08, 2009 at 07:14:27 AM CDT