The Elephant Race Is On
The race to succeed Katon Dawson as SCGOP Chairman intensified today as Spartanburg businesswoman Karen Floyd was rumored to have entered the race and Columbia attorney Kevin Hall appeared poised to receive endorsements from both of the Palmetto State’s two U.S. Senators.
Meanwhile, sources tell FITS that a third candidate – Spartanburg GOP Chairman Rick Beltram – may drop out of the race.
Floyd – who was narrowly defeated by Jim Rex in the State Superintendent’s race two years ago – had previously pledged her support to SCGOP Chairman Katon Dawson.
Dawson announced over the weekend that he would not be running for another term, though, fueling speculation that Floyd would jump in.
In fact, the website SC Hotline reported this morning that Floyd had already decided to enter the race, although sources close to Floyd tell FITS that this report is “premature.â€
Rumored as a possible candidate for multiple statewide posts given her near-victory in 2006, Floyd is a strong fiscal conservative and one of the few recent gubernatorial appointees to the State Ports Authority board who has consistently advanced free market reforms and accountability at the troubled agency.
She is also hugely –popular with the GOP activists who will ultimately decide this contest.
Meanwhile, FITS has obtained a copy of a letter endorsing Hall’s candidacy from U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint that is reportedly set to go out this week to SCGOP committee members.
“We have identified a leader who is uniquely qualified to help lead our South Carolina Republican Party,†reads the letter from Graham and DeMint. “He was tested in the toughest battles and has played a key role in nearly every top-of-the-ticket campaign in South Carolina over the last decade. This leader is Kevin Hall.â€
Neither Graham nor DeMint’s offices could be reached for comment about the letter.
Hall’s supporters have also pointed to his close relationship with Gov. Mark Sanford, although other sources have told FITS that the governor is not going to endorse in the race, particularly if Floyd jumps in.
That leaves Dawson as a potential king – or possibly “queenmaker.”
Rumors have been swirling about who – if anyone – Dawson might endorse in the race to succeed him, but given the show of support he received from the party’s executive committee last week it’s obvious that his endorsement will be coveted.
Stay tuned … this is beginning to get interesting.
WEB EXTRA:
Comments
By Jeffrey Sewell on February 9th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Just to set the record straight…
SCHotline:
“Floyd Considering Run For GOP Chair After Katon Dawson’s announcement Saturday that he would not seek re-election, numerous names for possible candidates began floating around. Party activists dissatisfied with their current choices quickly narrowed the list to those they thought could win. Namely, Glenn McCall and Karen Floyd. A source close to Floyd made it clear that she would defer to McCall and support him, should he run. In a phone call this morning, Glenn McCall told SC Hotline that he had no intention of seeking the chairmanship this year. Upon this news sources tell us that Karen Floyd, who continues to be deluged by calls from activists looking for a candidate they can support, is seriously considering offering herself for chairman. A decision is expected within days.”
[Developing...]
[Related]: http://schotline.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/graham-demint-ignore-chairman-katon-dawsons-simple-request-regarding-sc-gop-chair/
By Bubba on February 9th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
so we should go w/someone who’s was on Rudy’s bandwagon…who wanted to move our party “to the center”???
By Hugely Popular? on February 9th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Sic, is it really fair to say that Floyd is hugely popular? This is a woman who, coming out of the ultra conservative upstate, could not even win her own neighborhood district over Jim Rex. Further, her own step parent donated to Rex’s campaign and made a public statement about support of Rex over Floyd. The rumors of Floyd’s unlikeability, whether true or not, are bound to haunt her in the upstate, if not throughout the whole state.
By Vinroot on February 9th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Bubba – Karen Floyd has never talked about moving the party to the center to my knowledge. In fact, she ran as a rather conservative candidate for Sup’t of Edu. (meaning she was essentially pro-tuition tax credits) against the more moderate establishment candidate Bob Staton in the GOP primary. Floyd’s marketing/PR firm in Spartanburg called The Palladian Group was retained by the Giuliani campaign to provide services in SC. She was a paid advisor to his SC campaign. I am not sure whether she was considered an official “endorser” of his campaign in her role as a former statewide candidate and former County Council chair. Several other employees of the Palladian Group, including a candidate in the GOP primary for Bob Inglis’ seat in 2010, were also on the Rudy bandwagon. If Floyd did issue an official “endorsement” after her firm was retained for services, it would be similar to the situation with Senator Darrell Jackson endorsing Hillary Clinton after the Clinton campaign hired his consulting firm to do work on their behalf.
By WFIAFF on February 9th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Kevin Hall knows that he has some very big problems on his hands!!!!!!!!! Many of them were spelled out in that anonymous email about him. Kevin is a Columbia lawyer with relationships with Columbia lobbyists anxious to get their guy in at the party. When Terry, Warren, Will Folks and Wesley found out about all of Kevin’s problems, they decided the best way to minimize the impact on Kevin’s campaign was to air them out in an anonymous email that they could try to blame on someone else. Now, there is some sympathy building for Kevin even though the criticisms haven’t been answered!!!!!!!!!!! Classic Warren Tompkins, Wesley Donehue, Terry Sullivan and Will Folks. (Don’t forget that these are the same people who have been tied to spreading vicious rumors about John McCain during the 2000 primary!) Problem is that it’s also classic Columbia cynicism trying to seize control of the SCGOP. Kevin will deny that these guys are running his campaign. But there is no denying it. The mail firm doing all of Kevin’s mail, that hit a while back when multiple households received multiple copies of the same mailpiece, also did mail for Tompkins/Sullivan candidates, including failed candidate Bob Staton, in 2006. Wesley Donehue is doing Kevin’s website. Terry/Warren/Wesley lackey George Ramsey is driving Kevin around the state during this campaign!!!!!!!!!! The State Executive Committee knows that the party needs a grassroots leader in charge of it!!!!
By karen for chair? on February 9th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
I would support Karen over Rick Beltram any day of the week. Heck, I’d vote for Jim Rex to head the party over Beltram.
Now, I am closely looking at Floyd and Hall. Hall doesn’t really appeal to me. I have a hard time dealing with the fact that he is a lawyer with one of the most liberal firms in the state. Plus, until recently, I had never heard of him. Now, to be honest I am an upstate activist, but I have been involved for a long time.
Is there no one who has run a county party out there, who could do this? Is our party that short on talent?
By fitsnews on February 9th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
WFIAFF-
Dude, I was playing bass guitar in a rock band during the 2000 GOP Presidential Primary.
As for Warren Tompkins and Terry Sullivan, though, you make some good points.
-Will Folks
By Questions on February 9th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
I have been hearing conflicting reports about who is working for Kevin Hall. I would like clarification.
Is it true that he has hired Shell Suber to run his campaign? Was Shell fired from his job as a Statehouse lobbyist for gossiping about his boss on instant messenger? Has Shell been promised the job of Executive Director of the State Party? What does this say about Hall’s plans for the party?
By Ronald on February 9th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Nelson Motors owns Kevin Hall. Jean Toal owns Nelson Motors. Warren Tompkins is Jean Toal’s lobbyist. He’s got his do-boy driving Kevin around. You connect the dots, guys…..
By Bob on February 9th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Oooohhh! Look, Warren Tompkins!!!! Oooh. Look, Richard Quinn!!!! Oooh. Look, Terry Sullivan!!! Oooohh!! Look, Rod Shealy!!!
Some people in this party may as well just sit and watch soap operas all day.
By James the Foot Soldier on February 9th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
who is this new senator from seneca? I like him sooo much better than that gang of 14 dufus.
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