Well, it's January 1st, and already, word is one of my New Year's wishes will be shot to hell..... Yep, for some inexplicable reason, former Myrtle Beach Mayor and US Senate candidate Mark McBride will be challenging Lindsey Graham this year.
I met Mark and his wife Laura on the campaign trail back in 2004 all over the place. I was impressed by how hard they worked, and the friendship they gave a fellow candidate. In a loaded 2004 field, Mark had a hard time, garnering only about 2% of the vote. However, he wants to give it another shot. I think this is a really bad idea, because he will be headed for another wipeout.....
I'm sure he will top the 2% total he got in '04, but he's fighting a losing battle. Not everyone is thrilled in the party with Lindsey, but he has enough support, and he has millions in the bank remind everyone of his fairness and bi-partisan demeanor. Maybe there is a 25% ABL (anyone but Lindsey) factor out there, but that is it. As it stands right now, Buddy Witherspoon is the best connected among the announced guys, but that is dependent on who else gets in.
Since he lost in 04', he was beaten in Myrtle Beach, and he's stayed away from the organized party from all signs. He's done some consulting, and some waitering..... Not exactly a strong resume to oust a sitting Senator....
I really like Mark. If I had five minutes with him, like I had with Arthur Ravenel 2 years ago, i'd advise him to sit it out.........
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Rational people wouldn't do it, but Mr. McBride has an ego bigger than his sense of reality. Why else would someone who keeps getting thumped think he has a prayer?
ReplyDeleteIf you ask me, if given a choice between running for the Senate, investing six months and thousands of dollars, only to get fewer votes than the margin of error in polling, or taking that time and money and taking my wife on vacation ...
... I'm selfless enough to say the wife wins my time and money, hands down.
Like Buddy Witehrspoon, Mark recognizes a vulnerable Lindsey and is willing to go for it. I suspect that he's have a better shot with the Libertarian ticket, but no one to caucus with on the surface in DC.
ReplyDeleteStrategies afoot, rather than running against Henry Brown, Mark's grabbing name recognition for a later bid, either for Governor or Congress, based on Horry county being one ot the jewels in SC #7 or Henry Brown steps down.
I know Henry is getting up in age.. any word of him stepping down?
ReplyDeleteMaybe that is Mark's plan, but why run statewide if he's really looking for a Congressional seat. He really needs to make some inroads within the party as well..
henry will not run for reelection in 2008. Andre Bauer will file for the seat at the last minute ala thomas ravenel for the treasurer in 2006.
ReplyDeleteLinda Ketner, a multi-millionaire heir to the Foodlion Grocery store fortune has privately committed 3 million to the race. The only negative on her is that she is a lesbian albeit a rich one.
The SC 1st is now 21% black voting pop but may have risen higher with new registrations with the 08 primary.
The SC 1st also would be more tolerant of a lesbian congressman.
my first thought was that I don't care if she's a lesbian, but is she a Republican. They do exist, but from what I read she isn't one. Her resume appears to be a cushy gig with the family business, but she has all the foundation and board experience that Democrats love. That will motivate the base, and her money certainly won't hurt.
ReplyDeletemaybe Henry sees the writing on the wall..If Andre is going to do it, he better get in now, and start raising some cash.
actually, she left the family business and started her own consulting firm about 12 years ago and provides hr and other management consulting to a ton of fortune 100-500 companies. she doesn't touch her family money. the 3 million she is putting in is earned capital. she gives a lot of her family money away to charity. like computers in schools and stuff, which is pretty cool if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you know a lot about her - more than I could get from her website. She sounds like the candidate the Dems have been looking for, but i'd like to get her views on the issues.
ReplyDeleteIt would be ironic if the Piggly Wiggly man was replaced by the Food Lion heir...
you can bet i want shop food lion anymore. not because of the lesbian rumor either. about mark mcbride he has been a friend for a long time as you know. i hope he does what he feels right but if he asks me i will tell him i beleve he is wasting his money as well as hooters money as that will be his biggest supporter. i to would just take his lovely wife and head to the vacation earl speaks of. these are good people and i really want the best for mark and his family. until you have spent time and seen them in action you cannot realize how nice the mcbrides are.
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel, moye. I spent a lot of time on the road with Mark and Laura. It takes a real friend to tell someone what they don't want to hear. You've done it for me, maybe Mark needs to hear it too..
ReplyDeleteIronically, Andre is about as unpopular in Charleston as anywhere in the state. I think Brown would have to retire after the primary and then Andre would be selected as the GOP candidate.
ReplyDeleteA Republican will win the general so the real hurdle is the primary.
And Ketner's 2006 contributions were to Frank Willis, Robert Ford and Gilda Cobb-Hunter among other Democrats. So yes, she is a liberal Democrat.
ReplyDeleteI always heard Andre would take on Bob Inglis, but this would be an easier path.
ReplyDeleteIf there is anywhere in SC a liberal could get elected, Chucktown is it. There are a lot of loaded yellow dogs with full bank accounts South of Broad.
ketner gave money to pols in the 06election that were supportive of the civil union ammendment. She has been in a committed relationship for 20 years. That makes sense doesn't it. It is not any different than the doctors who dumped millions in for tort reform.
ReplyDeleteShe wanted equal rights. Look guys, I am a white heterosexual, catholic happily married man with two kids who supported what she was trying to do in 06. For one reason.
My wife and I got married in a civil union. A magistrates ceremony because she was not catholic. She has now converted to catholicism and we have been remarried in the church. But if you read that amendment carefully, you would have found that all marraiges not performed by a man of the cloth by a man and a woman "potentially" could have been ruled illegal in the state of South Carolina.
I am not saying it would have happened, I am just saying it could have happened, one day in a state like the "modern" South Carolina.
Having a sister who is also a lesbian, I've suppoted civil unions for gay couples, basing it like any contract or legal agreement. However, i've never been a single issue voter - but i am a single white guy, so every rule is slanted towards me, right?? maybe, maybe not.
ReplyDeleteWe all know that amendment was inserted to get the Christian base out for the 06 election, but little has been done about it since.
McBride officially announced for senate today on Kevin Cohen.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear it, but I do wish him well - it's what he wants to do...
ReplyDeletei am going to talk to mark saturday
ReplyDeletei want to see Bake McBride run for US Senate
ReplyDeleteA Ketner win, based on the discussion here would hang the SC
ReplyDelete1stCD is up for sale and there are a few RINOs that could muster das kapital to shove Ketner out of office. Could that beeeeeeeee Buck?