Cato Sees Opportunity In Harrell’s Weakness

One of the most calculating politicians in the South Carolina legislature is positioning himself for a run at the Speaker’s Chair in 2010, sources tell FITS.

State Rep. Harry Cato – who decided against challenging embattled House Speaker Bobby Harrell this year – is reportedly telling his colleagues that Harrell has “lost control” and that he will run against the Speaker next session if the disintegration of the GOP caucus continues.

As Palmetto politicos know, Cato is uniquely equipped to make such a threat given the backdoor deal he cut with the Legislative Black Caucus in 2007 over the appointment of African-American Supreme Court Justice Donald Beatty.

Harrell – who was elected Speaker three years due in large part to his monolithic Democratic support – is as good as finished if Cato can break his Democratic stranglehold and peel off a handful of Republicans to back his candidacy.

That might be not be as difficult as it sounds given the current fractured state of the House Republican Caucus, and the fact that Harrell has alienated multiple factions of his internal constituency in an effort to suppress a conservative uprising on his right.

“The House GOP caucus is in tatters,” one of Cato’s State House supporters told FITS today on condition of anonymity. “Bobby Harrell has lost control, which strengthens Harry’s hand.”

Whether that’s a good thing or not is certainly up for debate, as Cato has built his nucleus of State House support the same way Bobby has – by drifting to the left.

Ostensibly an “Upstate conservative,” Cato technically doesn’t even live in his district anymore, maintaining an address there solely to keep up appearances.

He’s literally in bed with the trial lawyers, too, and his record as chairman of the powerful House Labor, Commerce and Industry committee can hardly be termed conservative.

Other sources tell FITS that Cato is contemplating a statewide candidacy, and will leave the House in two years … which we find difficult to believe.

Either way, expect Cato to continue playing the insider game much better than Bobby, who has shown his political immaturity at almost every turn since ascending to the most powerful elected office in the state.

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