Republican lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Ken Ard “officially” kicked off his primary campaign in Florence, S.C. this week by announcing that he had received over $127,000 in campaign contributions “from Pee Dee supporters.” And of course the Florence County Councilman celebrated his campaign haul with an over-sized check … because let’s be honest, who doesn’t like over-sized checks?
Anyway, speaking of likes and dislikes, there’s a reason we don’t like Ken Ard … wait … what was it? We can’t remember …
Oh yeah, we don’t trust people whose entire names (first and last) can be spelled in six or fewer letters.
No … that’s not it.
Oh right, Ard is a friggin’ RINO, people. Just look at his old County Council campaign site, for example, where he “strongly urges” voters to approve a local option sales tax hike for “economic development.
Mmmm-hmmm.
Raising taxes so that government can “create jobs” is like giving a crackhead money “for food.”
When will these RINOs learn that you create jobs by keeping money as far away from government as humanly possible?
By Get Real September 23, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Ken Ard is leading the pack. When you’re out front and getting attacked, you must be doing something right
By Kelse September 23, 2009 at 5:55 pm
You have to be kidding me when you say that Ard is a RINO…that is crazy. He has conservative ideals and morals. He is currently leading the pack in the Lt. Governors race and he couldn’t be a better guy, yeah everyone has their falls but lets get real this guy could run for governor!
I also want to say that I have met Ard times and he is on top of his game, he knows everything that a candidate should know and his council record may differentiate from the reasons of why he is running for Lt. Governor, but locally he is a hero from the “small town” arena.
By Fred Henderson September 23, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Ken Ard is what South Carolina needs a businessman with good common sense.
By Stupid Stupid Stupid September 23, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Connor and Pitts, time to exit stage left. Ken Ard and Tim Scott are here to play!
By fitsnews September 23, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Obviously the email went out to Ard’s eight supporters that their man was under attack …
-FITS
By GOP Conservative September 23, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Ken Ard raises over $127,000??? Wow, sounds like he is the real deal. Plus, his stance on economic development is exactly what this state needs in these difficult and challenging times.
By Stupid Stupid Stupid September 23, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Sic,
Check your spelling on the tweet about your plane ticket. I’d hate to lump you in the same category as Ralph Norman.
By Upstate GOP September 23, 2009 at 6:16 pm
So Ken Ard supports building much needed roads in Florence County, supports a temporary user fee to pay for them and then lets the public vote up or down on the plan? What is wrong with that? It’s been done in plenty of other counties, some that are many times more Republican than Florence. Only an ideologue blind to the needs of the public would say this referendum was a bad idea.
By Laura Campbell September 23, 2009 at 6:19 pm
So, he’s raising taxes to improve economic development? Who will he tax, considering so many are out of work?
Here’s a fine example for him to follow. Up here in Chesterfield County, a hospitality tax was imposed for the same thing. The result? A little park rarely used, some trees got planted, can’t think of much more.
Did we get any decent jobs from it? No. Has manufacturing and real jobs skipped out of town? Yep. A wellness center? Nope. Plenty more cars, weapons, etc. for our local law enforcement? Yep. Crime rate down? Hell no. The status quo still living high on the hog? Definitely.
I, for one, am tired of the Democratic/Repub. rhetoric and status quo. No more support or votes from me. From now on, Independent votes only or a write-in.
Indeed, who will these people tax when the majority of the common people are unemployed, in prison, or dead because they don’t receive decent health care?
I don’t believe the majority of government officials, all the way up to the President, understand how seriously people are concerned and are ready to act because of the course this country has taken at their hands.
By I pay taxes in Flowtown September 23, 2009 at 6:27 pm
You’re attacking Ken Ard for letting the people of Florence County vote on their taxes? Over 55% voted for this temporary referendum and every dollar stays within Florence County to build roads. I voted for it and I’m glad Ken had the courage to support it!
By HMMM September 23, 2009 at 6:43 pm
He’s not RINO, Sic. But check his tax records.
By Flo-town Taxpayer September 23, 2009 at 6:52 pm
You’re attacking Ken Ard for letting the people of Florence County vote on their taxes? Over 55% voted for this temporary referendum and every dollar stays within Florence County to build roads. I voted for it and I’m glad Ken had the courage to support it!
By Gillon September 23, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Which one of the two guys in the photo is Ken Ard?
By shaggy September 23, 2009 at 10:47 pm
since when has the job description of the lieutenant governor been expanded to focus on economic development? I thought for at least the last 16 years it was to go to nascar races and preside over the senate and recently expanded to include passing out blankets to old folks. I guess with the addition of Senior Shield and its ability to extort businesses that is some sort of economic development for the office itself. quit trying to make the office more than it is.
By craig September 24, 2009 at 12:47 am
He’s a RINO.
By SC Southpaw September 24, 2009 at 9:30 am
SC infrastructure is nearly third world. Go to GA or NC to see what well funded infrastructure looks like. That is also why Savannah is stealing our port customers. They put money (big money) into it and the are reaping the jobs as a result. We had to rely on stimulus funding to resurface our existing roads – otherwise it was not going to happen.
By FloGOP September 24, 2009 at 11:12 am
If you want a typical politician, vote Ard.
If you want a RINO, vote Ard.
If you want someone that says one thing and does another, vote Ard.
The statement that he’s the leader is a joke right? The only thing Ard is leading in is the number of staffers and volunteers that posted a response to this.
Businessman? He quit college then sold his father’s thriving business and cashed in.
You brainwashed people can crow about Ard all you want. His record is clearly that of someone we REALLY don’t need as Lt Governor.
By Darkseid616 September 24, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Hey FloGOP you are a fine one to talk, werent you run out of the SCGOP for your underhanded comments,backstabbing,threatening,slandering of other Republicans? If anyone is a typical politican its you, why else were you run out of the Ard campaign and took up with a kook like Bill Connor? What’s his experience in goverment? And please don’t try to use his military experience. We are all proud that he served this country but Connor is no Eisenhower,Westmore or Powell. If anything he’s more like Major Frank Burns!
By Kelse September 24, 2009 at 5:33 pm
FloGOP, you are clearly mistaken when you think that Ard is just a typical politician or a RINO. Ard sold his father’s business because it was the right move to make at the time.
I will also have you know that I am not a hired member of his team or am not a volunteer. I don’t have time to volunteer for any campaigns as I am too busy with other priorities.
By FloGOP September 24, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Hey Darkseid616, or Mike, or whatever you want to go by, you’re proud of his military service then say he’s like Major Frank Burns? How more insulting can you be with your pride. The subject was Ken Ard and not Bill Connor. I can see why you choose to attack Connor instead of backing up Ard. There really is no defense for Ard. RC just sends the attack dogs like you. It’s the only way he knows to do business. I also noticed you didn’t respond to RC offering money for dirt on Connor. Hit you in a hard place there? No worries. Too many people got involved for him to weasel out of that one.
P.S. – Don’t work for the Connor campaign. Tell Robert to try another guess. Also, seems to me alot of folks quit the Ard campaign. Seems that paid staff actually want to get paid. Imagine that.
Kelse, yes you’re correct. It obviously was the right move to make at the time for personal reasons. Why work for a living when you can cash in?
By Kelse September 25, 2009 at 11:25 am
FloGOP, its not about whether or not you can cash in rather than working for a living…I mean I could cash in all my stocks and not work or anything of that nature. Ard is one that likes to make a business decision that can impact the economy.
I would really like to know if you work for a campaign???? Seems to me like you know a little more than the average person about what the goins on are in the campaign arena.
And Darkseid616 I completely agree with you on everything, I mean Connor pretty much is like Major Frank Burns. I actually wonder if any of his accomplishments are embellished so as to make him look better.
By FloGOP September 25, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Wow. You assumed I work for Connor and attack him on his military service? That should really make Ken Ard look good. :)
So if you thought I was working for Tim Scott would you attack him because he’s black?
It’s really not different. You Ard clowns cannot stand on your candidate’s values and record so you resort to attacking the others.
“Make a business decision that can impact the economy”?
His own economy you mean. I fail to see how him cashing in affected the economy in his area.
My dog in this fight is exposing Ard and his staff for who they are. Opportunists with very low morals. And you both are proving it in black and white.
So to definitively answer your question Kelse, I do not work for any campaign. I certainly wouldn’t work for Ken Ard and his attack ape Robert Cahaly. There are certainly enough people that read/write this blog that know who Cahaly is and what he’s about. Most of this is no surprise to them.
By GOPTRUTH September 26, 2009 at 5:53 pm
FLOGOP,
You are apparently highly misinformed with your information. First of all, Ken Ard worked his butt off after he dropped out of college. He knows what it is like to live poor. He lived in a trailer off the side of the country road for years, working 5 am in the morning until 8 PM sometimes 9 PM at night. He worked for a living, he sweated for a living, he struggled and looked at the ceiling at night wondering if he would be able to pay the bills to even keep his lights on. You are crazy to think Ken quit and lived off of his father’s coat tails. He bought the business with his brother and sold it when he decided he wanted to spend more time with his family. HE was very blessed and worked long and hard for many years to get to where he is at. He knows what it is like to work for a living, not sit in their house all day.
Second, Ken has very well experienced people working for him. I know who they are and I know they are being paid well for their services, take a look at the reports online. It is all on there, clear as day. The people aren’t opportunist, they know a good candidate that has had REAL experience, unlike some people on these blog comments, and are backing him because of it. He is a guy that knows all about running a business, paying employees, and attracting jobs. He has done nothing but good for the county of Florence.
FLOGOP, you are obviously jealous and have more than likely been kicked off of his campaign for your behavior as was stated before. I would suggest you get your facts in line and stay off of a true Statesman’s back. Oh and for the record, Cahaly isn’t an ape. Robert Cahaly is one of the most brilliant political minds in the state of South Carolina, and doesn’t need to intimidate people around the state to gain political capitol. True legitimacy is seen in his many victories and his ability to take underdogs and make them winners.
I hope you get cured from your ignorance, it would certainly benefit us all.
By Soft Sigh From Hell September 27, 2009 at 10:17 pm
I don’t know a thing about Ard, but I do know that I wouldn’t mind having a governor again who understood that there is more to South Carolina than Greenville/Spartanburg, Columbia/Lexington, Charleston/Beaufort, and Myrtle Beach/Grand Strand. The smaller cities and hinterlands are where South Carolina is really hurting. But then again, Society Hill (I think it was) Beasley didn’t do us much good either.
By FloGOP September 28, 2009 at 9:53 am
GOPTRUTH or Ken, either way that’s obviously where it came from. The first two paragraphs are typical rhetoric from thousands of campaigns around the country so I won’t dignify those with an answer.
I will say the following:
Fact #1 – Robert Cahaly offered money for dirt on Connor. Not very brilliant as he left quite a trail.
Fact #2 – Cahaly tried to become Connor’s campaign manager and got turned down. His obvious reputation surely had something to do with that. Several political folks around the state got a nice chuckle out of that one.
Fact #3 – Obvious Ard supporters are on here criticizing Connor (Major Frank Burns? EORs?) for no reason other than they saw another opportunity to slander an opponent.
Fact #4 – Everywhere there’s been any mention of Scott or Connor, the “experienced people” you referred to start the slander and insults. I’m sure it’s just a small sample of things to come.
How’s that for Truth?
“True Legitimacy” must certainly have a different definition for you than me. I don’t see dragging your opponents through the mud as legitimate campaigning whatsoever.
Quit insinuating someone’s gay or slamming someone’s military recrod. Stop the attacks and run on your values and work ethic Ken. You gain much more respect from South Carolinians that way rather than by negative campaigning. Those days left with the last century.
By Stupid Stupid Stupid September 28, 2009 at 4:37 pm
FLOGop, you are one to talk about negative campaigning.
The pot just called… oh nevermind. I’m sure if I said that, you and your petty and insecure self would accuse me of being a racist. Instead, I’m a realist. And the phony rhetoric shows that you’ve got a bitter chip on your shoulder about something Ard related.
Might I recommend you take a long walk or a yoga class to get you in a better mood? Only then will you provide positive comments in this conversation will people listen to you.
By Edwin September 29, 2009 at 7:40 am
I’m not enamored by any of the current Governor or Lt Governor candidates. That being said, negative campaigning has no place in our process any longer.
I am concerned by Ken Ard asking for a 1 percent tax while professing to not raise taxes. It sounds alot like several of the “I’m conservative – NOT!” elected officials we already have.
By Toyota Kawaski September 29, 2009 at 8:45 am
Go Katie keep up the good work
By Ha, Okay. October 6, 2009 at 11:36 am
Ken and that girl who used to work for the State GOP looked awful cozy last week. Where is Ken Ard’s wife these days?