Comments on: Mulvaney Kicks Off Campaign Against Spratt

By: Logic Connection

Logic Connection — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:56:31 +0000

York County Native, you’re right. Until the SCGOP gets behind a solid effort at getting out the vote in the rest of the 5th District, it doesn’t matter who the Republicans run, they’ll lose. York and Lancaster alone are never going to be enough to win the GOP the election. There are plenty of conservative voters in Marlboro, Chesterfield, etc, but the SCGOP puts forth very little effort in the Pee Dee to earn their votes. But good luck to Mulvaney nonetheless.

By: CNSYD

CNSYD — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:59:08 +0000

Crooner, you left out “free markets” and “less government paperwork and bureaucracy”. The boys on Wall St will love the sound of that. They don’t need regulation, they only have your best interests at heart, right? The credit card industry and banks? Why they are just trying to get by on those little fees they charge. I read just today that country clubs are hurting. Well if we would just let all these Wall St, big bank, etc. guys alone they will make sure the clubs are taken care of. You wouldn’t want the clubs to fail would you?

By: AppleMan

AppleMan — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:57:38 +0000

I realize the comment forum for FITS isn’t exactly the debate club at Cambridge (assuming there is such a club), but the comments so far about Mick (he’s arrogant, he “robbed” HOAs, he wants big business to…actually I’m not certain what that last comment is about) don’t speak much about what he has done in the legislature so far or what he’s saying he would do in the Congress. If he has a good message for the for the people of SC, then more power to him. I’ve actually had a beer or two with him, and I’d say he’s an above-average guy with a very clear view of what government should and shouldn’t do. I don’t really care where his kids go to school or when he moved to SC, so long as he is forthright about what he believes in so that people can decide for themselves if they want that kind of fellow representing them. I think the negative campaign for the Senate seat made clear that the personal attacks have limited value (I know I am weary of them). Let’s focus on what the candidates are actually legislatin’. From what I’ve heard/seen from Mick and Spratt, I’d be casting my vote for the former.

By: Crooner

Crooner — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:32:05 +0000

Limits on frivolous lawsuits? Who gets to decide what is frivolous, beyond the presiding judge?

This old saw always reminds me of the definition of minor surgery: when they are operating on someone else.

Let’s state it in a truthful way: Mulvaney wants big business to have certainty about the cost involved in injuring consumers. And once the bean counters have that God help us all.

By: CNSYD

CNSYD — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:13:06 +0000

Dardseid616, if we add a seat, will it be gerrymandered like before to “ensure” a black member in addition to the one we have presently? If yes, that could cost Spratt. However, lets not forget the Democrats will be in power for a while. It is advantageous to have a senior member on the inside. Members can stand on the outside and rant and rave, ala Paul in the House and Demint in the Senate, and no one on the inside in either party listens. So they are nothing but sound bites.

By: Darkseid616

Darkseid616 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:14:57 +0000

Spratt’s vote for the bailouts was a given from day one, keep in mind his brother in law is the former CEO of Bank of America Hugh McColl.If you think he’s not going to cover his family interests then one must really not understand either people or politics. That said is Spratt vunerable, if one looks at the 14 elections he has run the answer is yes,but it will take a ground swell effort not just by the GOP or conservatives but by the people of SC5 to get Spratt out. As far as this being his last term,we need to wait to see if we pick up a 7th Congressional district,othewise don’t look for to much change in the current Congressional lines.

By: York County Native

York County Native — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:43:08 +0000

Mulvaney took 53.7% in a conservative senate district. It is not a “swing” district by any means. He did admittedly have a credible opponent although she was far from a perfect candidate. If anything Mulvaney underperformed, especially in Lancaster County, which he actually lost by about 1300 votes.

Candidates like Norman and Mulvaney generate a lot of excitement among the GOP faithful and the folks with the NRCC (although they’re unlikely to invest much in this race after having been burned somewhat in 2006 and with other more promising Democratic targets around the country in 2010) because they are perceived as being credible candidates from the right part of the district. The problem is that they aren’t from the right part of the district. There is this notion that to beat Spratt, you need someone who can 1) raise lots of money and 2) win big in York County. While the former is certainly true, the latter is a misconception. Spratt could lose York County by 15,000 votes and still win reelection by 10,000 because he’ll win by comfortable marigins in most of the remaining counties in the district (Marlboro, Dillon, Chesterfield, Chester, Lee, Darlington, etc.). If the GOP ever went out and found a Republican from the Pee Dee who could siphon off votes in that part of the district, that candidate would fair much better against Spratt than a Norman or a Mulvaney. York County will still produce the same number of Republican votes that it always does for any Spratt challenger regardless of what part of the district the candidate is from. The key is win outside of York County and the GOP has never had a candidate who could do that. And I do realize that Mulvaney lives in Lancaster County (although most folks up here will tell you that northern Lancaster County is hardly distinguishable from northern York County) but I don’t think that will make much difference in this race. Senate Dist. 16 is essentially a City of Lancaster, Indian Land, Fort Mill district. As noted above, Mulvaney lost the Lancaster portion of this district in 2008. The southern half of Lancaster County is more favorable for Democrats. When all is said and done, Mulvaney will lose Lancaster County, will win York by a few thousand votes, and lose the election by 10-12% ( and that’s being generous).

By: countryboy

countryboy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:53:48 +0000

I have supported and worked for John since his first run for Congress. He was definitely conservative on economics in those days and a moderate on social issues. He was also a conservative on national security/foreign affairs. Gradually however I have seen him slide toward the liberal wing of the party and no longer is he even conservative when it comes to economics. Therefore, for the first time ever I will definitely consider voting for his opponent, subject to what I learn about Mulvaney in the interim. Basically, as the old saying goes, I will vote Mulvaney unless he is caught having sex with a “live boy or a dead girl”. I don’t care how slick he is at making money or how much he has, so long as it was obtained legally.

By: Recovering Lobbyist

Recovering Lobbyist — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:58:38 +0000

Kind of hard to be eloquent when nut jobs are screaming at you and won’t let you get a word in at your own party. Not that he didn’t have it coming, but don’t critique his performance based on those Town Hall meetings. Even your new favorite, Joe Wilson, had a hard time at Town Hall meetings this year.

By: Charles

Charles — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:32:55 +0000

If you think the voters of that Congressional district will support Spratt on Pelosi’s health care bill, you have another thing coming.

That vote will seal his fate. Good riddance to a man that votes to please Pelosi, not his district.