Palmetto Power 100: The Top Fifty

We were walking up to our cush seats at Williams-Brice Stadium the other night when not one – but two people we’re pretty sure we’ve never met before grabbed Sic Willie and asked him when the second half of our famous Palmetto Power 100 list was coming out.

Of course Sic had absolutely no clue, but that’s beside the point.

Seriously, when we first rolled this list out last August we had no idea how popular a project it would end up becoming.

The good news? People’s reactions to our first installment of this year’s list – as well as the honorable mentions – have exceeded even our elevated expectations. The bad news? Sic’s right hand is literally about to fall off, which means there’s no way he’ll be able to give himself a “stranger” tonight.

Anyway, since all of you have decided by now to skip this introduction and go straight to the rankings, by all means enjoy yourselves. Just remember to do so responsibly …

1. Hugh Leatherman – Senate Finance Chairman (RINO)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 2
Change Agent: No

As if being the undisputed “Godfather of Pork” in this state wasn’t enough, check the list below and you’ll see Leatherman’s got the most powerful lobbyist, the Senate Majority leader, the state’s Chief Justice, the Board of Economic Advisors, the Budget and Control Board, the State Ports Authority, the State Treasurer’s office and dozens of other powerful people and institutions squarely under his tiny, Communist thumb. Sing it with us, people. “He’s got the whole world …” of course the end is coming sooner than even the “Littlest Digger” is probably prepared to admit.

2. Gilda Cobb-Hunter – Default Speaker of the House (D)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Falling Slightly
Last Year: 1
Change Agent: Nope

People thought putting Gilda Cobb-Hunter in the top spot on last year’s list was a joke – or Sic Willie trying to put “the moves” on her. Well, think again (at least as far as the first count is concerned). While former minority leader James Smith is getting all the gubernatorial buzz and current minority leader Harry Ott is getting credit for keeping Democratic votes in line, Cobb-Hunter is the one who wields the true power behind the scenes. And make no mistake, her federal connections are every bit as impressive as her South Carolina connections, which means Gilda can dial for dollars more effectively than any politician in this state. Of course, she’s dialing up tax dollars from government grants and programs (many of which definitively don’t work), but the bottom line is whatever Gilda wants, Gilda gets …

3. Jim Clyburn – Majority Whip, U.S. Congress (D)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Holding
Last Year: 3
Change Agent: Nope

Aside from Nancy Pelosi or that guy with the weird name from Chicago (Raheem? Rambo?), it’s hard to imagine any Democrat in the entire country who has more effectively leveraged the GOP’s 2006 Congressional debacle to his political benefit. Clyburn is an unrepentant porker with a proclivity for hiring relatives and building monuments to himself with your tax dollars, but irrespective of that, he’s now the most powerful politician South Carolina has in Washington, D.C. He may be an unfortunate byproduct of politically-correct gerrymandering (yeah, we said it), but he’s still got beaucoup juice and has shown neither fear nor shame in his willingness to squeeze it for every last drop …

4. Glenn McConnell – Senate President Pro Tempore (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 50%
Stock: Holding
Last Year: 4
Change Agent: Jury still out

The fact that our “jury is still out” on whether or not McConnell is serious about truly reforming this state is indeed a bit disheartening, but the fact he’s dangling his toes in the waters of real change doesn’t diminish his power and influence one iota. McConnell has previously supported tax cuts, government restructuring, school choice and long-overdue revenue caps, and this year he’s targeting legislative accountability and free market port expansion – all of which makes us really, really want to heart him. A lot. But the age old question still lingers – is he serious? Hopefully with the new composition of the Senate, McConnell can get a Republican majority to support these big-ticket changes the way he gets them to support the Hunley submarine …

5. James Smith – Former Minority Leader (D)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 7
Change Agent: Nope

People always say that James Smith is ranked too high on our list, but those people quite frankly have their heads up their asses. Smith is very simply the best shot the Democrats have to take back governor’s office in 2010. A returning war hero who’s a blank slate on the statewide stage, all Smith really has to do is move a little to the right on fiscal issues and he’ll have whoever the GOP nominates running for his or her life, particularly with independent candidate Oscar Lovelace shaking up the race. Smith is getting huge props from big, bipartisan crowds since coming back from his 18-month tour of duty in Afghanistan, and anybody who doubts his clout is in for rude awakening over the next few months. Shock and awe, baby!

6. Lindsey Graham – U.S. Senator (RINO)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 60%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 19
Change Agent: Nope

He may be the third Senator from New York, but the fact is Lindsey Graham scored bigger than anybody with John McCain’s come-from-behind South Carolina victory. Speculation surrounds what his reward will be, but we’ve got it on good authority that Lindsey isn’t giving up his Senate seat for anything short of a lifetime appointment, and there’s only one D.C. position we can think of that fits the bill. Despite his elevated influence via McCain, Graham continues to alienate conservatives with his “Gang of 14″ antics, and obviously the term “Grahamnesty” continues to follow him around like a pissed off lover. Hmmm … no wonder he doesn’t want to debate his surprisingly conservative (and unfortunately broke) Democratic opponent?

7. Dan Cooper – House Ways & Means Chairman (RINO)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 13
Change Agent: Nope

Evolutionarily-challenged and averse to change as he is, Cooper is still ground zero for the state budget – meaning he holds the proverbial keys to the taxpayer-funded kingdom. Under Cooper, the House Ways & Means committee has ballooned state spending in recent years by more than 40%, which has made him all the more adored by the lobbyists and special interests who stroke big checks to his PAC in an effort to get the state to stroke bigger checks (or make bigger concessions) back to them. Cooper also controls the House side of the so-called “competitive grants” program, which means legislators looking for pet projects must also kiss his egg-tooth … err, ring. Speaking of which, when we say Cooper has “ballooned” state spending, that’s not just a figure of speech. He’s shelled out hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years on balloon festivals for his backwoods Anderson County constituents.

8. Gresham Barrett – US Congressman (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 100%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 14
Change Agent: Yessir

Barrett has all the tools to become the next governor of South Carolina, and along with Attorney General Henry McMaster he’s one of two early frontrunners for the GOP nomination. His fiscal record is absolutely impeccable, as is his ability to hire smokin’ hot press babes. We wish he’d lay off the social conservative rhetoric a little bit, but like James Smith on the Democratic side, Barrett will begin his statewide campaign as a blank slate – meaning he will have the opportunity to make his own message. And unlike Smith, Barrett will have access to deep pockets in DC to help him fund that effort. We also hear he’s in the process of switching consultants, which we view as a distinctly positive development as it relates to his statewide electoral prospects.

9. Bobby Harrell – Speaker of the House (RINO)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Falling
Last Year: 8
Change Agent: Nope

If we were compiling this list based solely on the power of the position, there’s no question that the Speaker of the House would be No. 1 on our list. There’s simply no other office that affords its holder anywhere near the same level of influence, so the fact that Harrell is No. 9 on our list should tell you something. Specifically, it should tell you that Harrell isn’t really in charge in this state, the Democrats are. Which is a big “duh” to anybody who closely follows politics in South Carolina. Sadly, at a time when real conservatives are growing their numbers in his chamber, Harrell continues to find his “salvation” by moving further to the left, as evidenced by his ridiculous big government “jobs” plan.

10. Jim DeMint – US Senator (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 100%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 12
Change Agent: Yes

We’ll admit it, we’ve been unfairly harsh to Jim DeMint in the past, but we’re beginning to really warm to the guy. The truth is, DeMint has stepped up his game this year in a big way, emerging as one of the few sane voices in a pork- and power-drunk U.S. Senate. Along with Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, DeMint has become a go-to guy for fiscal conservatives, and his ongoing fight for spending transparency (somebody please strangle him before he says “earmark reform” again) has given him a national platform, even if he’s still struggling to find the right pitch. What DeMint may lack in message consistency and charisma, however, he more than makes up for with his Herculean efforts to protect the taxpayers – making him one of the only politicians in the entire country who can honestly say he’s watching out for you in Washington.

11. Harry Cato – House LCI Chairman (RINO)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Falling
Last Year: 9
Change Agent: Nope

Old Yaller’ may be a lawyer’s wife, but he’s also going to be the next Speaker Pro Tempore of the House, which is important because it gives him an inside track on becoming the next actual Speaker of the House. In the meantime, Cato is still running a powerful business committee, albeit on behalf of anti-business ambulance chasers and other left-of-center special interests that donate to his PAC. Cato has proven his ability to cut insider deals, but every election cycle moves the GOP further away from Cato’s ideology, which now that we think about it is probably why he went to the Democrats to cut his corrupt bargain in the first place.

12. Mark Sanford – Governor (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 98%
Stock: Holding
Last Year: 11
Change Agent:Yes

The conventional wisdom is that Mark Sanford is going to be a lame duck governor for the next two years, and judging by recent comments from several top legislative leaders it’s hard to argue that point. Sanford’s legendary friction with the legislative body notwithstanding, though, the numbers are actually better for him heading into 2009 that they’ve ever been, with a chance that November could bring even more pro-change lawmakers into the General Assembly. Sanford is universally-hated by the Columbia establishment, but if he can peel a handful of fence-sitting Republicans over to his side, he’ll be veto-proof – which means for once he’ll have a real club to use in the fight to curb wasteful spending, not just a media one.

13. Richard Quinn, Sr. – Political Consultant

Fiscal Conservative Rating: N/A
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 28
Change Agent: Sometimes

Winning a presidential primary will do a lot for your ranking. Winning a presidential primary in South Carolina with John McCain as your client will do even more, particularly given the vitriol thrown at McCain back in 2000. Quinn takes a big leap ahead on this year’s list as a result, another of the McCainiacs on our list who stuck with their candidate through thick and then – even when it seemed the Arizona Senator was on the verge of dropping out of the race. He’s also got a promising gubernatorial prospect in Henry McMaster, although it remains to be seen if even Quinn’s magic messaging can transform the Attorney General into a captivating public figure. If anybody can do it in this state, though, it’s Richard, who has always been the best pure communicator of the state’s big three political consultants.

14. Richard Davis – Lobbyist (D)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 16
Change Agent: Nope

We’re eagerly anticipating our annual phone call from Richard, in which he heatedly protests the fact that we labeled him a Democrat and proceeds to rattle off a list of RINO clients and politicians he’s close with … which frankly only serves to underscore our point. Another Columbia power broker whose star rises and falls with Sen. Hugh Leatherman, Davis rakes in the green given his affiliation with the powerful Senate Finance Chairman, making it fairly easy to be successful in his line of work. We look forward to the day both of these big government liberals are out of business, but until then at least Richard keeps a few attractive “lobby bunnies” hopping to and fro on the State House grounds.

15. Henry McMaster – Attorney General (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 60%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 32
Change Agent: Sometimes

Part of McMaster’s big jump in this year’s rankings is due to the previously-discussed McCain factor, but the fact is he’s an extremely popular Attorney General. So popular, in fact, that nobody ran against him in 2006 – giving him a tremendous head start on his fellow would-be governors. The million dollar question (or several million dollar question, depending on how much McMaster ends up spending to get the 2010 nod), is whether or not people honestly see him as “gubernatorial.” Frankly, we look at McMaster’s bid right now and see a lot of similarities with Bob Peeler’s 2002 run for governor. He’s got a lot of institutional backing and name ID, but precious little substance underneath the pretty wrapping. In fact, the phrase “box of fresh Wyoming air” from Wedding Crashers comes to mind. We’ll see if that holds … he’s certainly an affable guy and a great AG, but whether or not he can take it up a notch is open for debate.

16. Jim Rex – Superintendent of Education (D)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Failing our children, but rising politically
Last Year: 24
Change Agent: No

There is no bigger con artist in South Carolina politics than Jim Rex, and the truth is the success of his slick barrage of misdirection and duplicity could very well be unprecedented in our state’s seedy political history. Here’s a guy who didn’t even win his election for State Superintendent of Education and who has gotten absolutely nothing accomplished since taking office … yet for some reason the state’s fawning press corps treats him like the second coming of the Son of our Lord. Rex says he’s for school choice, tougher standards and less bureaucracy (all things that poll extremely well in this state). There’s just one problem: It’s all B.S. He doesn’t support any of those things beyond the point of tricking you into thinking that he does. Meanwhile, education in this state remains tragically fubar, and Rex’s fake reforms represent another glittery diversion from the tragic hopelessness of our worst-in-the-nation public school system.

17. Reggie Lloyd – SLED Chief (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: N/A
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 20
Change Agent: Yes

There is simply no one on our list with more upside that Reggie Lloyd, who this time last year was the U.S. Attorney for South Carolina and this year is the Chief of the State Law Enforcement Division – the first African-American to hold either of those high-profile positions. In a business replete with loudmouth egos and ethically-challenged indiscretions, Lloyd is the exception to the self-serving, self-promoting rule, a quiet, unassuming personality who is renowned for keeping his own confidence. Touted as a potential Attorney General candidate, we see bigger things in Reggie’s future. Tough, principled and universally-respected, his star continues its well-deserved ascent.

18. Larry Marchant- Lobbyist

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 70%
Stock: Holding
Last Year: 17
Change Agent: Most of the time

Larry solidified his reputation as the most talented lobbyist in the business this year by getting a cigarette tax increase (with no corresponding decrease) through the legislature. Of course, he also lost a big chunk of the 95% fiscal conservative rating we gave him last year due to that success. With his flashy German sports cars and expensive Italian shoes, it’s easy to write Marchant off as overcompensating for something, but the truth is his synaptic motor is always running a little bit faster (and occasionally hotter) than anybody else in the room. Cunningly brilliant and possessing a sixth sense for the intricacies of the State House Echo Chamber, Marchant and Richard Davis continue to put the rest of the lobby to shame.

19. Harvey Peeler – Senate Majority Leader (RINO)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 50%
Stock: Falling
Last Year: 10
Change Agent: No

It’s a time for choosing if you’re Harvey Peeler. Phil Shoopman and Tom Davis are heading into your Caucus next year, as is Mick Mulvaney, who is currently cruising in what many thought would be a tight Senate race up in York County. Mulvaney’s success also doubles Peeler’s trouble, because that means liberal special interest money (i.e. trial lawyer money) that might have gone toward defeating him will now go toward ousting Peeler’s errand boy Shane Massey, who’s in a world of trouble over in Aiken County. Bottom line? Change is coming, and Peeler is one of the few Senate Republicans who has just enough fiscal conservative credibility left in the event he wants to stop covering for Leatherman and start leading the GOP in a new direction. He stumbled badly by pumping over $100,000 to defeat Tom Davis in a GOP primary, money that not only failed to achieve its purpose but is now unavailable to Republicans in the general election. Oh well, there’s still time for Harvey to see the light, but not as much time as he may think …

20. Tom Davis – Attorney (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 100%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 22
Change Agent: Yes

After six years working behind the scenes as one of Gov. Mark Sanford’s closest advisors, Tom Davis had his coming out party this summer in Beaufort – trouncing incumbent Sen. Catherine Ceips in a GOP primary despite the fact that the Senate Republican Caucus, Rod Shealy and the rest of the Columbia establishment threw everything including the kitchen sink at him. Davis’ dramatic Senate win came on the heels of another huge victory for the Beaufort lawyer and former gubernatorial chief of staff – the successful conclusion of a Jasper County port deal with Georgia that could end up rivaling the economic impact of BMW in the Upstate. Another conservative star on the rise in SC politics, Davis has a formidable challenge ahead of him in the liberal State Senate, but at every step of his career he’s proven himself more than equal to the task in front of him. Expect him to exceed expectations …

21. Rod Shealy, Sr. – Political Consultant

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Falling slightly
Last Year: 15
Change Agent: No

“Hot Rod” has been in our thoughts and prayers since undergoing surgery for a brain tumor last month, but this ultimate survivor seems to be on the mend and eager to reclaim his status as the state’s most feared political consultant. After cleaning up in 2006 (and solidifying his legend status in the Oscar Lovelace, Andre Bauer and Richard Eckstrom campaigns), Rod has come back down to earth a little bit during the 2008 election cycle. Still, the larger trend lines are way, way up for this hardest of hard-nosed fighters, and he remains the last person you want to see on your opponent’s campaign disclosure form. Also, in runoff and special elections, Shealy is practically unbeatable. Diabolical? Absolutlely, but he’s also hands-down the most gifted political strategist in the state, and (for better or worse) the sole heir to the legacy of Lee Atwater.

22. Jim Davenport – Associated Press

Fiscal Conservative Rating: N/A
Stock: Rising
Last Year: NR
Change Agent: Sometimes

Perhaps the most glaring omission of all from last year’s list, Davenport flat out drives media coverage in this state. An equal opportunity destroyer who rolls through the State House like a one-man truth squad, he gets (and breaks) more scoops in a week than most old and new school media outlets break in a year. With a degree of institutional knowledge that few reporters in this state have ever possessed, Davenport combines an agile and inquisitive mind with sharp political sensibilities and an even sharper nose for news. That combination – as many politicians in this state have found out the hard way – can be lethal, and the fact that Jim doesn’t play favorites in doing his job earns him cred from the people he covers. Oh, and if all that weren’t enough, he writes for the wire (which goes everywhere), and he writes prolifically. Which means a lot.

23. Jimmy Merrill – House Majority Leader (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 80%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 67
Change Agent: Yes

Are we sure this isn’t a typo? An outgoing House Majority leader with a long list of institutional enemies is rising like a Saturn V on our list? Well, it’s not a typo, as Merrill’s tenure of babysitting a poorly-behaved GOP majority is coming to a close and the prospect of a statewide bid becomes more definitively visible on his political horizon. We were initially suspect of Merrill’s statewide prospects, but the decision by Bobby Harrell to forego a gubernatorial bid combined with Merrill’s extensive fundraising connections puts him squarely in the mix. A vacuum of conservative leadership exists at the State House, and sources tell us Merrill is poised to fill it. If he does, and can help force key votes on conservative issues, he’ll become a darling to the fiscal right – which is solid gold real estate in any statewide bid. Plus, the truth is he was underrated in last year’s list.

24. Bill Gillespie- State Economist (RINO)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Holding
Last Year: 21
Change Agent: No

A funny thing happens when you cut taxes – businesses actually come to your state, where they (gasp!) create infrastructure, jobs and income, all of which boosts tax revenue. Try telling that to Bill Gillespie, though. In his world, tax cuts cost the state money, period. And while you’d think a government that expanded by over forty percent these past four years could use a little snip and cut, again, you’d be better off telling that to a brick wall than to our state’s economist. After all, Gillespie is securely in the pocket of the Leatherman big government mafia, which as its founder once famously noted has “never seen the benefit of tax cuts.”

25. Jean Toal – Chief Justice, Supreme Court

Fiscal Conservative Rating: N/A
Stock: Falling
Last Year: 5
Change Agent: No

A spate of recent scandals involving bar exam results and a Spanish Inquisition-style disciplinary office has Toal “reeling from the feeling.” Perhaps at no point since getting off on a DUI (alright, allegedly) has the state’s Chief Justice been this vulnerable – or had so many reform-minded lawmakers lining up to pounce on her crumbling empire. Additionally, it’s going to get a lot worse for Toal before it gets better, which you’ll be reading about right here in the next few days – and this time, even powerful Senate Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman might not be able to save Queen Jean.

26. Nick Kremydas – President, Realtors Association

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 80%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 37
Change Agent: Yes

Teddy Roosevelt would love Nick Kremydas because he walks softly but carries one of the biggest sticks in the State House lobby. Sure the housing market has collapsed, but ironically that only serves to enhance Kremydas’ clout. How come? Well, lawmakers who were already lining up to polish his cufflinks are now all the more eager to help out the preeminent purveyors of the American dream here in South Carolina. Plus, Nick’s group has a massive war chest for political activity, which means his clout always extends far beyond the capital.

27. Roger Milliken – Billionaire Industrialist

Fiscal Conservative Rating: N/A
Stock: Holding
Last Year: 26
Change Agent: No

Again, that’s billion with a “B.” And he’s politically engaged with big-time brokers on both sides of the aisle. ‘Nuff said.

28. Andre Bauer – Lientenant Governor

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 60%
Stock: Holding
Last Year: 45
Change Agent: Sometimes

Andre is running for governor in 2010, people, and along with Attorney General Henry McMaster and U.S. Congressman Gresham Barrett his name has to be mentioned among the trio of early favorites. First of all, his built-in network of senior citizens is an electoral Godsend, although Bauer’s decision to replace efficiency expert and conservative ballbuster Curtis Loftis with a political hack like Jim Miles over at the Office on Aging doesn’t portend good things. Nonetheless, “SC 2’s” bid must be taken seriously. After all, he’s proven numerous times that he works far too hard on the campaign trail to ever be written off.

29. Nikki Haley – State Representative (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 100%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 50
Change Agent: Absolutely

Haley’s Comet is quickly turning into a phenomenon the RINO bigwigs in Columbia are incapable of controlling, a confident conservative reformer intent on shaking up the status quo and restoring fiscal sanity to a state government gone crazy with reckless spending. Unafraid to brook the powers that be, Haley has made herself a target by working hard (and smart) and steadily rising through the ranks in spite of the establishment’s coordinated efforts to keep her contained. Lately, the ire of RINO leadership has intensified against her as she’s stepped further into the spotlight for change, but the mass appeal she’s winning, her strong pro-business support and her status as a female who doesn’t play the girl card (and an Indian-American who doesn’t play the minority card) should insulate her from any institutional retribution.

30. David Wilkins – U.S. Ambassador to Canada (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: N/A
Stock: Falling
Last Year: 6
Change Agent: No

Wilkins decision to forego a gubernatorial bid doesn’t mean an end to his run as the Upstate’s most influential politician, but the man who once stood at the pinnacle of power in this state is increasingly on the outside looking in. Sure, dozens of elected officials have made the pilgrimage to his Canadian embassy, but they’re increasingly looking for a good time as opposed to a piece of his advice or an installment of his political capital. We’ve often been too hard on Wilkins, a fault we can certainly acknowledge in light of the leftist Speakership of his successor, but a precipitous drop in influence on this year’s list is nonetheless justified.

31. Warren Tompkins – Lobbyist, Political Consultant (RINO)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Falling
Last Year: 23
Change Agent: No

The Tompkins Empire is crumbling, but the Jedi fighters have yet to blow up the Death Star and throw the Evil Emperor off the catwalk. Despite losing several status quo corporate clients (and absolutely bombing in his role as Mitt Romney’s Southeastern presidential advisor), Tompkins is still a top five lobbyist as well as a top four campaign advisor in South Carolina. That’s a unique combination of influence – even if it is exclusively focused on holding this state back from reaching its full potential. Tompkins’ fall from power is coming on both fronts, however, as each year his brigade of big government RINO’s grows smaller. Easily the most corrupt, unscrupulous and pompous figure in Palmetto politics, we look forward to doing everything we can to hasten his impending irrelevancy.

32. John Spratt – U.S. Congressman (D)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Holding
Last Year: 33
Change Agent: No

Thirty-two is probably an undervalued ranking for Spratt, and we’ve got no problem acknowledging that. He’s got a lot more juice than we’re giving him credit for, but beyond the Charlotte suburbs it’s often clout of the “tree falling in the woods” variety. In addition to his policy influence in the new Democratic majority, Spratt is liked and respected by peers of both parties – when he’s not making potshots about hurricanes, anyway. He was a leading force in protecting South Carolina’s military installations during the most recent round of base closures, though, which has definitely helped solidify his status with the home crowd.

33. Randy Page – President, SCRG (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 100%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 36
Change Agent: Yes

Running the state’s largest, most aggressive (and most controversial) grassroots group affords Page a position of profound influence, and paints a king-sized target on his back among the forces of this state’s failed status quo. Though frequently scorned by lawmakers, the indisputable reality is that Page’s group has dominated the political debate in this state for years – which is only enhanced via its new research and communications capability. The massive rallies Randy has organized on behalf of the school choice issue are the stuff of grassroots legend, and the mere threat of Page’s involvement in a House or Senate contest has compelled numerous status quo lawmakers to resign rather than face the onslaught of his forces. Also, the fact that attempting to discredit Page’s organization has turned into a veritable cottage industry for liberal consultants is perhaps the greatest testament – and compliment – to his power.

34. Dan Hoover – Greenville News Reporter/ Columnist

Fiscal Conservative Rating: N/A
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 41
Change Agent: Sometimes

Hoover is “old school” with both old and new media microphones at his disposal, boasting the best network of political sources in the state as well as the most powerful reporting/ opinion platform of any member of South Carolina’s Fourth Estate. He’s particularly essential to Republicans given his perch in the middle of the GOP’s backyard and the credibility he enjoys not only with his conservative Upstate readership, but the entire political chattering class in Columbia as well. The sole inheritor of the legacy of Lee Bandy, who recently retired from The State newspaper in Columbia, Hoover’s consistent ability to produce insightful analysis and break big stories guarantees him a spot on this list for years to come.

35. Richard Eckstrom – Comptroller General (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 100%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 45
Change Agent: Yes

In the fight for less government and lower taxes there is no more loyal a soldier than South Carolina’s Comptroller General, Richard Eckstrom. An unapologetic fiscal conservative with a keen financial mind and an accountant’s deliberative approach to public service, Eckstrom’s biggest stage right now is his push to open the state’s books up for taxpayer inspection. He’s made a lot of enemies in that fight – particularly local school boards hoping to continue operating under the cover of darkness – but Eckstrom’s quest for sunshine in state expenditures is slowly gaining traction and paying dividends for the people picking up government’s increasingly-unsustainable tab.

36. Tracy Edge – State Representative (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 60
Change Agent: Sometimes

You might think Edge is ranked so high on our list because of his unflinching support for school choice, but his real source of power in Palmetto politics is the status he enjoys as South Carolina’s resident health care budget master. A quiet and often quirky personality, Edge is the guy you never see coming. In fact, there’s a case to be made that this Myrtle Beach Representative is the smartest member of the entire General Assembly, which we’ll admit isn’t much of a compliment. But given his fluid command of the budget and his ability to drive health care funding (and policy) in any almost any direction he wishes, Edge’s influence continues to grow at the State House. His political savvy and list of allies also continues to grow, although his future will depend on translating all of these assets into a statewide presence – in the event that’s something he wants.

37. Converse Chellis – State Treasurer (RINO)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 42
Change Agent: Not even remotely

One observer remarked to us that as the “swing” vote on the Budget and Control Board, Converse Chellis should be ranked much higher on our list. Whatever. Chellis is no more a “swing vote” than a metronome hopelessly stuck on “left,” slavishly serving his two big government masters, Hugh Leatherman and Dan Cooper. The good news is that Chellis should be easily defeated in the next election given his liberal voting record and utter hopelessness as a public speaker and campaigner. Depending on the outcome of other statewide elections, that could create a fiscal conservative majority on this massive – albeit completely unnecessary – state agency.

38. Frank Fusco – Executive Director, Budget and Control Board (D)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 48
Change Agent: Nope

Frank Fusco’s 2007 rollercoaster began – and ended – with him as the leader of the biggest (and most wasteful) state agency of them all, the Budget and Control Board. Overseeing billions of dollars in state contracts as well as the controversial “competitive grants” program, it’s not surprising that Fusco gets his ass kissed by lawmakers seeking choice droppings from the massive trough he manages. Perhaps the most vivid personification of South Carolina’s failed status quo, Fusco’s restoration as executive director of this illegitimate agency ensures that millions of dollars will continue to be wasted on pork and excess bureaucracy, with Hugh Leatherman and Dan Cooper pulling the strings.

39. John Rainey – Chairman, Board of Economic Advisors (RINO)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Unchanged
Last Year: 39
Change Agent: Never

Next to Ports Authority Chairman Bill Stern, the selection of John Rainey as BEA Chief was easily the worst pick of Gov. Mark Sanford’s career. A classic big government liberal, Rainey has served the forces of this state’s status quo with unwavering dedication for the past six years, employing a philosophy on the role of government that’s about as accurate as his chronically off-base economic forecasts. Sanford’s failure to recognize Rainey’s aversion to the ideals of lower taxes and limited government is among the most critical misjudgments of his time in office, as Rainey’s arrogant and wrong-headed recalcitrance on revenue forecasting has eliminated any likelihood of Sanford’s pro-growth tax cuts ever being enacted.

40. Mike Shealy – Senate Finance Committee (RINO)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 0%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: NR
Change Agent: No

In Palmetto politics, Shealy sits at the right hand of God Almighty (a.k.a. Hugh Leatherman) and is by default the most powerful legislative staffer in the state. The only problem is that here in South Carolina, “God Almighty” happens to be an outright communist, with Shealy serving as his Minister of Command Economics. Together, they have killed any chance at real tax relief for hard working South Carolinians while at the same time spearheading an unprecedented expansion of state government. The day these two fall from power will be a great day for our state’s economy and our state’s taxpayers, but for now the influence they wield can only be described as unrivaled.

41. Robbie Kerr – Health Care Policy Expert

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 50%
Stock: Falling
Last Year: 31
Change Agent: Sometimes

Robbie has lost some of his luster since he started shilling for the Ed Sellers’ Retirement Fund (i.e. the cigarette tax increase), but the network he’s built since his time as director of the Department of Health and Human Services and his vaunted expertise on health care policy assure him a place on our list. Kerr is also one of the few experts who understands politics, and who has the respect of both executive and legislative policymakers.

42. Stan Spears – Adjutant General (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: N/A
Stock: Holding
Last Year: 40
Change Agent: No

Our hearts go out to General Spears this year on the loss of his son, one of the truly kind and humble people in the political business. Our hearts also go out to anyone trying to move the Adjutant General’s office into the executive branch of government. Unlike all the other politicos on our list (except for maybe James Smith), Spears has troops at his disposal, people. And probably some tanks, too.

43. Ashley Landess – President, S.C. Policy Council

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 100%
Stock: Through the roof
Last Year: 79
Change Agent: Aww, yeah baby!

Sass, strength and substance come together seamlessly in the shapely form of Ashley Landess, the new president of South Carolina’s most influential conservative think tank. To say that Landess came out guns-a-blazing in her mucho importante new position would be an understatement … she’s flat out taking the fight to the good ole’ boy club in Columbia like she’s starring in a political remake of Million Dollar Baby. An already impressive start for Landess went certified platinum when the Policy Council released a study exposing lawmakers’ lack of transparency in casting their votes, an issue that has taken both reform-minded politicians and the public by storm.

44. Buck Limehouse – State Department of Transportation

Fiscal Conservative Rating: N/A
Stock: Rising
Last Year: NR
Change Agent: No

Every time we hear the name “Buck Limehouse,” we can’t help but start giggling. Seriously, people … only in South Carolina. Anyway, unlike certain less-svelte Limehouses currently serving in the General Assembly, Buck actually has power. Specifically, he runs the Department of Transportation, which runs the roads. And while that might not seem like a big deal in a state as small as ours (40th in size), you’d never guess that we rank friggin’ fourth in the nation in terms of the paved mileage we maintain at the state level. Oh well, it’s just another example of how ass-backward South Carolina is, which is why it’s probably not surprising that we’ve got a guy named “Buck Limehouse” running the agency.

45. Jake Knotts – State Senator (RINO)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 5%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: NR
Change Agent: No

If you tried to steal one of State Sen. Jake Knotts’ political signs this summer, chances are you were in for a rude awakening. That’s because Knotts dripped honey at the base of each one of his signs, meaning that anybody absconding with one also ended up with an army of ants in their car. Such old-school tactics (and no doubt much more sinister ones) are emblematic of the way Knotts’ plays hardball, but that’s how he went up against a powerful governor and walked away with a landslide victory (albeit a Democratic crossover landslide). Brusque, burly, unruly and intimidating, Knotts will no doubt be wearing his big win on his big sleeve for the next four years, which makes him an immovable island of institutionalism with multiple axes to grind and no scruples whatsoever in grinding them.

46. Bob McAlister – McAlister Communications

Fiscal Conservative Rating: N/A
Stock: Rising
Last Year: NR
Change Agent: Sometimes

Another major omission from last year’s list, Bob McAlister is easily the most skilled political PR pro in the state, an experienced master of the communications arts who crafts messages for a wide range of corporate and political clients who come to this state to play – and to win. A veteran of the Carroll Campbell administration, McAlister’s success not only stems from his expansive network of contacts and undeniable skill with the pen, but from his adaptability. One of the few “old guard” consultants to shift with ease to the 21st Century media platform, McAlister is proof that talent rises to the top, no matter what transformative changes are taking place in the business around him.

47. Kenny Bingham – State Representative (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 60%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: NR
Change Agent: Sometimes

Kenny is the odds-on favorite to become the next Republican Majority Leader, a position that will enable him to begin shaping a statewide presence for himself. Already a well-liked, well-respected powerbroker at the State House (and an influential member of the House Way & Means committee), Bingham is one of the few Republicans to successfully walk the tightrope in the ongoing war for control of the SCGOP. Armed with alliances on both sides of the fight, his power stems from an ability to work effectively behind the scenes with both the “Bobbycrats” (i.e. House RINO’s) as well as the emerging “Common Sense Caucus.” At some point he’ll have to jump off the fence, but Bingham’s delicate balancing act thus far has solidified his power with both groups and made his vote one of the most sought after in the entire General Assembly.

48. Darrell Jackson – State Senator (D)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 5%
Stock: Falling
Last Year: 30
Change Agent: Could be

Jackson’s support of Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama is the main reason for his drop-off this year, but we expect the Senate’s most influential African-American will quickly restore his standing. Jackson is simply the most dangerous man in the Democratic Party right now, a powerful black lawmaker who is fed up with the state’s growing education achievement gap … and who is no longer buying the same old excuses the status quo is feeding him. Jackson was viciously attacked last year by white Democrats for even hinting that he might support school choice as part of a broader education reform package. We suspect he hasn’t forgot that indignity, or noticed the ongoing failure of the excuse-mongers.

49. Chad Walldorf – S.C. Club for Growth (R)

Fiscal Conservative Rating: 100%
Stock: Rising
Last Year: 88
Change Agent: Yes

Reviled by establishment legislators as a tool of Gov. Mark Sanford, Walldorf is nonetheless a major force in the conservative movement in South Carolina – a campaign financier extraordinaire whose efforts with the S.C. Club for Growth are helping reshape the state’s legislative majority. Additionally, he’s an inside player on both the budget as well as the ongoing debate over structural reform, making him indispensable to the forces of change both under the dome and on the campaign trail.

50. Pamela Lackey – President, AT&T of South Carolina

Fiscal Conservative Rating: N/A
Stock: Rising
Last Year: NR
Change Agent: ?

If there’s someone in the Palmetto political world who doesn’t genuinely like and respect Pamela Lackey, we have yet to meet them. A longtime State House vet, she’s now running the show at one of those big telephone … err, sorry … telecomm … err, sorry … global communications companies. Bellsouth? Yeah, we think that’s it. Anyway, we’ve always felt that Pam was way too smart to be a lobbyist her whole life, and the fact that she’s now in charge over at Verizon is a well-deserved reward. Wait, we meant to say she’s now in charge over at Sprint, err, Nextel, err, Vonage … awww hell, we give up. Whatever the name of her multi-national conglomerate is, Pamela rocks and we’re 100% sure that everyone loves her. How many people on this list can you say that about?

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