Campaigning Uphill with Vic Rawl for US Senate

by: wjhamilton 29464

Tue Mar 09, 2010 at 22:58:52 PM EST

Image, Right, Rawl addresses Spartanburg Democratic Convention.

The tour was uphill because it ran from South Carolina’s coast, where the historic gardens of Charleston are greening towards an explosion of Azaelias, over the sand hills and through the State Capital to the manufacturing cities of the Piedmont.  We gained over a thousand feet in elevation in the course of the day.

It’s also uphill because Vic’s opponent, Jim “Waterloo” Demint is constantly reported to have a campaign fund of over three million dollars.  Our fund, which has doubled in the last 24 hours, is a few million less.  Some people conclude the incumbent’s lead in special interest cash exempts DeMint from having to run a real campaign.

The day began with the campaign website went online with flikr, twitter and youtube feeds.  You can view it's evolving content at www.vicrawl.com.

READ THE EXTENDED TEXT TO FIND OUT HOW THE TRIP WENT

Why We'll Go to Wellstone

by: wjhamilton 29464

Tue Feb 09, 2010 at 11:28:49 AM EST

I’ve just signed the entire family up, Julia, Jackson and Myself.  Though the training is heavily subsidized and I took full advantage of those subsidies, that and a hotel room for two days is enough money to miss in the current economy.  I don’t feel bad about making liberals in other parts of the country subsidize my politics.  They’ve been demanding and getting a lot of phone calls, rallies outside Jim DeMint’s office and other behind enemy lines political agitation.  I just saw it as payback time.

If you plan to work for a campaign or are a candidate yourself, you should consider attending this training.  If you don’t have the scratch left, ask the campaign you plan to volunteer for to pay for it.  Make sure your candidate is going.  When they say they’re too busy and they are saving all their money for the magic TV ads which are going to change everything this next fall, go find another candidate.  Even being a liberal in South Carolina doesn’t obligate you to follow the dinosaurs into the tar pit.

More in the extended text.

A Plan to Get South Carolina Working Again

by: Dwight Drake for Governor

Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 16:59:55 PM EDT

My experiences have taught me what it takes to build successful economic efforts in South Carolina.  So, like many others who are concerned about the current economic condition of our state, I am deeply embarrassed by a Governor who has been completely missing in action on the jobs front.  At this point, our Governor isn't just absent in our economic development efforts; he's actually an impediment that we have to work around in order to get anything done.   South Carolina's families deserve better than the struggling economy and soaring unemployment that we're experiencing.  That's why I am running for Governor: to get South Carolina back in the jobs business and to get South Carolina working again

 I feel so strongly about jobs because more and better jobs are the answer to South Carolina's problems.  With a Governor who is truly engaged and focused on creating more jobs and growing businesses, we can help address our fiscal problems, improve our schools, and strengthen our families.  And I wholeheartedly subscribe to the old saying that a good job is the best government program.  South Carolinians should know that as Governor, I will wake up in the morning thinking about how to create jobs, and I will go to bed every night thinking about how to create jobs.  There is no more important and fundamental issue in this election - and indeed for the future of our state - than jobs. And as Governor, no one will work harder than me to bring jobs to South Carolina.

The next Governor needs to lay out a wide-ranging agenda for immediate improvement and long-term transformation of South Carolina's economy.   Today I released the initial installment of the major economic action items that I think are necessary for our people to have not only the hope but the reality of better jobs for a better future. The complete plan is available on my web site. Read the full entry to see the top line bullets of my plan.

Harry Ott Endorses Sheheen

by: Snead

Tue Aug 18, 2009 at 11:11:15 AM EDT

Hot and fresh off the e-presses:

Following his announcement over the weekend that he would not run for governor, House Minority Leader Harry Ott announced today that he is endorsing state Senator Vincent Sheheen in the race for governor.

South Carolinians are yearning for a trustworthy, hard-working governor – one who can build the coalitions and provide the leadership necessary to address the challenges we face,” said Ott. “On the issues that will define the success or failure of our next governor – particularly creating good jobs and revitalizing our public schools – Vincent Sheheen is the candidate with the independence, experience and vision to move South Carolina forward.”

Ott and Sheheen served together in the South Carolina House from 2001 – 2004. Since 2004, Sheheen has served in the state Senate, where he represents Chesterfield, Kershaw and Lancaster counties.

“I have had the pleasure of knowing Vincent over the last decade and I believe, without a doubt, that he and I share a common vision of what South Carolina can be with the right person at the helm,” Ott continued. “Vincent has a longstanding reputation for forging partnerships and getting results. And perhaps most importantly, he believes deeply, as I do, in the value of our public schools and knows that they are the cornerstone for economic development and job creation.”

"South Carolina is at a pivotal juncture,” Ott said. “I believe it’s time we elect a governor we can all be proud of – one who has the character and integrity to help this great state find its way again. Vincent Sheheen is that person. I am excited to endorse Vincent Sheheen for governor of South Carolina, and I will work to help him get elected."

CCP: DeMint Assaults Big Business... After Taking Their Money

by: Snead

Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 13:01:53 PM EDT

CNN's Rick Sanchez isn't the only reporter calling out South Carolina's Sen. Jim DeMint for his political double speak. Greg Hambrick at the Charleston City Paper has a quick look at DeMint's hollow attacks on "big business":

Sen. Jim DeMint does not like big business. The picture he paints in today's Washington Times would make you think that the feeling is mutual, but no sir. Nearly $275,000 in first quarter campaign donations from big business political action committees suggest that DeMint has got more friends than he's willing to admit.  

The column in the Times is in response to the national Chamber of Commerce, which gave DeMint and others low marks for opposing the federal stimulus. DeMint calls the chamber members the "corporate elite" and says that he's not their stooge.  

The road back to Republican success is not to reinforce our weakened coalition of corporate interests, but to drop it altogether. Republicans shouldn't be the party of business any more than they should be the party of labor - we're supposed to be the party of freedom.

That's a costly proposition, particularly for DeMint. Tons of big businesses have donated to his reelection campaign, particularly in this first quarter of the year. There were $1,000 contributions from political action committees at AFLAC, Allstate, Bayer, Coke, Chevron, G.E., and McDonald's. Larger contributions included PAC money from Sprint Nextel ($1,500), Campbell Soup ($2,000), R.J. Reynolds ($2,500), and Cisco Systems ($3,000)...

DeMint Assaults Big Business... After Taking Their Money