With Sen. Fritz Holling's Likely Retirement Can Dems. Keep the Seat in SC?

[Composed Thinker]

Who are the candidates that could replace him?

[Bossy Monkey]

1. Don't think so

Dick or Joe Riley (no relation) could maybe make the cut, but otherwise we're largely SOL. Fortunately, the Republicans don't have much of anybody to trot out either, but all they need is a Lowcountry candidate such as Arthur Ravenel to win in a walkover. Upcountry and Lexington County vote for Republicans regardless of region; Charleston folks (mostly) vote for Charleston folks regardless of party. Sorry.

[Composed Thinker]

2. I'm not really familiar with SC politics, but

you mean to tell me there's not one person the Democrats can trot out who could win, or at least who could have a fighting shot?

[Bossy Monkey]

6. I've been working campaigns here since '78

when Pug Ravenel mounted the last serious challenge to Thurmond. I've watched the Republicans turn what had been in my childhood a one-party (Democratic) state into a one-party (Republican) state. Joe Riley, Mayor of Charleston, is popular state-wide. Dick Riley, former Governor, former Secretary of Education, is almost forgotten but has a national profile. The just-deposed governor, Jim Hodges, would normally be the first person to turn to for a senate opening. He didn't lose too badly, but the perception is that he was repudiated. Name recognition is most of the battle, though, and he certainly has that.

Inez Tenenbaum, mentioned elsewhere on this thread, is a wonderful person, a terrific campaigner, and has a lot of money behind her, but is only State Superintendant of Education. I don't think a lot of folks make the jump from there to the Senate. We've had a female Lt. Governor and a Congresswoman, but not lately.

Short answer: the Republicans have us by the short hairs down here. I didn't know this was a news flash.

[MoonGod]

7. Inez Tenenbaum?

I know nothing about these people, but she sounds interesting. Does she have any name recognition? Good buzz?

Education is always a great issue to run on, especially when all the "education president" has done is create a massive testing program, required the states to foot the bill, and watched as his brother Neil reaped the rewards.

[KoKo]

9. Alex Sanders? He's back to teaching and was popular in Charleston......

He lost to Graham......but I don't know by how much. Any Buzz about him?

[Bossy Monkey]

10. It was close, but it was his second statewide loss

which is usually political death around here. We'd probably do better with Hodges or somebody named Riley. Alex is well-liked but getting up in years (as is Dick Riley); although we are known for voting for 100-year-old and 80-year-old senators, that's just for re-election.

[NewJerseyDem]

13. Sanders said he isn't running

Sanders also said that he though Inez Tenenbaum would be the best candidate.

[ulysses]

3. this is lounge material?

:shrug:

[Composed Thinker]

4. Most people seem to come here, so I thought I'd post it here

[UrbScotty]

5. Inez Tennenbaum is the Superintendent of Education

..and some people think she has a better chance of winning than Hollings!

[MoonGod]

8. Has she made any kind of statements on the issues?

My curiosity has been piqued all the way over here in Cali :)

[mndemocrat_29]

11. Inez

She said she'd consider the race if Hollings decided against running. Polls showed her beating DeMint 45-38 percent. She received the highest vote total of anyone in SC in 2002. She's the best candidate we've got. Repukes don't actually have any top tier candidates to run here either (DeMint, the Bush-appointed candidate, isn't very articulate and is considered a lot along the lines of Bob Inglis (the guy Hollings beat in 1998)).

If we don't run Tenenbaum, this seat will be really difficult to take. Most of the other top candidates (2002 nominee Alex Sanders, For. Gov. Jim Hodges, the state treasurer, and Reps. Clyburn and Spratt) have all declined runs. Considering SC's love of incumbents, we need this one if we're going to be a force in SC politics in the next couple of decades.

[CMT]

12. I think Tenenbaum is the best hope

so I hope she runs. She was actually outpacing Fritz in the polls a couple of months ago. It will be tough, but doable. Think South Dakota everyone. That state has a bigger statewide registration of Republicans than SC and Bush's approval ratings there were about 70% and he made a dozen stops to campaign against Johnson in 2002 but The Dems pulled it out. It is doable.

[jiacinto]

14. What I think Tenenbaum needs to do

is find an issue that in SC locally that is AT ODDS with Bush and stick to it. Her issue could be free trade, the textile industry, and the loss of jobs.

Then again she could say that she would be the "Senator who would put SC first". She is our best hope.

[tedoll78]

15. We need to call his office..

and request that he campaign with whomever our candidate is in 2004.

Call him and let him know. Seriously.