By FITSNews || Add John Spratt to the “Endangered Democrat” list …
The fourteen-term incumbent – who won reelection two years ago with 62 percent of the vote – has seen his approval rating fall all the way down to 41 percent and only leads Republican challenger Mick Mulvaney by seven points. Oh … and that’s according to a Democratic poll – internal Republican numbers reportedly show Spratt in even more trouble.
According to polling results released Tuesday by Democratic Public Policy Polling, however, Spratt is ahead of Mulvaney by a 46 to 39 percent margin with 15 percent of voters undecided.
Forty-one percent of voters approve of Spratt’s job performance, while 42 percent disapprove.
Obviously, those are terrible numbers for an incumbent in a Democratic survey.
Why is Spratt on the verge of losing his district?
Well, according to a recent voting analysis published by the Washington Post, Spratt has voted with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership in Congress 97.8% of the time during the 111th Congress. That tally includes key votes in favor of President Barack Obama’s $787 billion bureaucratic bailout, a “cap and trade” energy tax increase and most recently, Obama’s socialized medicine plan.
(See the Congressional record of Spratt’s votes in favor of those items by clicking here, here and here).
Spratt is also leading the fight to raise the U.S. debt limit to a ridiculous $14 trillion, and he voted just last month for another $150 billion bailout of state bureaucracies.
Mulvaney, on the other hand, is one of only a handful of state lawmakers to earn an ‘A’ grade in the S.C. Club for Growth’s recently-released legislative scorecards. He’s also currently leading the fight to block the implementation of ‘Obamacare’ in the Palmetto State.
By BadNewsMulvaney January 27, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Imagine this, Day 42 of FITSNEWS love affair with Mick “Scalawag” Mulvaney. Little does the article articulate that Mr. Mulvaney is nothing more than a blowhard who has ZERO ideas to improve America. Instead he is too busy trying to redebate the US Constitution. Mr. Mulvaney, leave the constitutional interpretation to the intelligent people and you stick with cooking pancakes or whatever it is that you do. Really, Sic Willie find something else to report on than the demise of that mean ol’ John Spratt.
By Gillon January 27, 2010 at 5:15 pm
In reference to Congressman Spratt, to borrow from Mark Twain, I would say that “the reports of his death are greatly exaggerated.” To replace Spratt with Mulvaney would tend to repeal the theory of evolution. Does SC really need another Joe Wilson-type blowhard in Washington?
By Anonymous January 27, 2010 at 6:02 pm
Mulvaney has a has a degree in economics, a law degree from Chapel Hill, and went to Harvard business school.
It seems that Spratt’s Plan A so far (as evindecned by his supporters here) is to paint Mulvaney as a knuckle-dragging neocon.
Good luck with that one.
By flipnut January 27, 2010 at 6:37 pm
Why can’t the Republicrate party in this state put up a good canidate against Spratt, Ralph is a nice guy, but had a bad habit using lots and lots of workers with questionable immigration status on his work sites. Mick is also nice enough but went a screwed over Lancaster country and the homeowners in many of his other developments. Who next Paul Lindemann….he’s a flat out drunk con artist.
By cmitchz January 27, 2010 at 7:38 pm
It’s a good thing BadNewsMulvaney has a computer, or he’d be out proving to us that restraining orders are worthless.
Considering Spratt has probably been representing this area longer than his sycophants here have been alive, these numbers are looking good indeed for Mulvaney.
By Lancaster Resident January 27, 2010 at 9:10 pm
Flipnut – you need to get your facts correct. Mulvaney was painted with untruths during the worst State Senate campaign in a long time. His opponent in that race was a pure nut and liar. During that election, the County Council Chair and the County Administrator – both Democrats – said on the record that the taxpayers we not on the hook for bonds for the development in question.
Spratt carries Pelosi’s water and people in this district finally get it. Time for him to retire or get embarrased when times come to debate.
Now one thing you said that I will agree with is that Lindeman is a fool.
By OhNoNotAgain January 27, 2010 at 11:37 pm
Republicans keep electing Lindemann. And I’m to trust their judgment on a U.S. House candidate? Lindemann is considering running for the House seat Mulvaney abandoned to run for the Senate.
By Calhoun Fawls January 28, 2010 at 2:58 am
I bet there are some Democrats who wish that the money donated to Rob Miller in wake of the you lie thing now was headed to Spratt.
By BadNewsMulvaney January 28, 2010 at 9:36 am
CMITCHZ,
Dont worry bout me son, I have many things to do with my day. Just like to set the facts straight. Not sure if you saw the poll but Albert Spencer, Spratt’s neverending opponent polled 46-37, while Mulvaney polled 46-39. Those are huge numbers, NOT. I just cant wait til the day when people find something else to bitch about. You probably blame Spratt for 1929 Great Depression, Kennedy’s Assassination, the tragic Challenger Explosion, and everything that is wrong with your life. That mean ol’ John Spratt constantly pickin’ on CMITCHZ
By Cheravian January 28, 2010 at 10:08 am
Mr. Spratt visited my workplace last fall. I was shocked to see how small and frail he appeared in person. It’s definitely time for some new blood.
By Pat Hendrix January 28, 2010 at 11:45 am
Wait, what? An incumbent in the midst of the worst recession in 70 years is polling badly? Dog bites man! Sic Willie talks about balls! The sun came up in the east!
Yep, he polls poorly but wait till the folks get a look at the dipstick he’s running against.
By hans January 28, 2010 at 1:52 pm
The old saying that “all politics is local” is no longer applicable.
The Obama/Pelosi/Reid Machine have been employing smash-mouth, in-your-face Chicago Gangland style politics. America is sick of Tean Obama’s untruths and tatics.
I suspect Spratt will feel the wrath of the Average American who sick and tired of being lied to and lectured by the arrogant Democrat Party.
By The Colonel January 29, 2010 at 4:12 am
Hans – in this race there is nothing but local politics. I have shared many a bar-b-que dinner with Ol’Spratt. Don’t agree with his politics but about 20% of the time but you must admire the constituent services his office provides and the way he treats voters. He isn’t the typical pontificating, blowhard politician – in fact, you hear very little from one of the more powerful Committee Chairman (budget) (he also sits on Armed Services – wonder why Shaw got 3rd Army/ARCENT out of the BRAC?)
The average “Rock Hillian” might know who Pelosi is but the average Delphian or McConnellian could care less about Pelosi. Spratt’s biggest threat is the southward creeping Charlotteans.
He has gotten a bit frailer looking in the last couple of years but he’s 68 years old (Congress averages about 57 years old). His wife hates DC and the crap that goes with politics and he doesn’t much care for Pelosi.
He’s far more conservative than many of our RINOs. Based on the other Demo choices from SC, I’ll take Spratt over Ol’Enos any day of the week (I’d probably take him over the retiring Henry Brown as well in terms of contribution to the state). If there is a significant loss for Demos this midterm, Spratt will probably quit but who knows?
By James January 30, 2010 at 8:33 am
Spratt is going nowhere until this next term is up then he will step aside and Doug Jennings will pick up the mantle,supposedly.
By York County Native February 1, 2010 at 10:43 am
Given the original date of this posting, I doubt this comment will draw much attention, but Mulvaney reported $128,000 last quarter – $75,000 of which was a personal loan to his campaign committee and at least another $14,400 came from relatives. That means he pulled in $39,000 from folks not named Mulvaney.
Just to remind everyone, Norman’s first report for the 2006 cycle was $420,000 (including a $75,000 loan).
Mulvaney got off to a slow start fundraising-wise in his 2006 state senate race. The difference is that the NRCC uses the candidate’s fundraising receipts as a way of determining how it will direct it funds. With other candidates in more competitive districts around the country reporting significantly more than what Mulvaney has posted from this past quarter, I’d be surprised if the NRCC elects to dedicate a significant amount of money to this race when they are already at a significant fundraising disadvantage nationally.