By FITSNews || S.C. Lt. Governor Andre Bauer will formally kick off his campaign for governor of the Palmetto state next week with a 24-hour, 15-event tour across the state.
In doing so, Bauer becomes the fourth – and most likely the last – GOP candidate to make his bid official, following S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster, U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett and S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley.
Four democrats and one independent are also running.
“I look forward to sharing my vision for the state during the 24-hour long tour and the days thereafter leading up to the primary,” Bauer said. “I want to use this tour to meet the factory worker leaving his shift, the waitress at the diner who works two jobs to feed her children, the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe, and so many more South Carolinians who are facing challenging times.”
Bauer faces some daunting odds in his bid to become governor.
Despite displaying remarkable political acumen in obtaining control over the State Office on Aging – which gives him a built-in constituency of senior citizens (who vote in droves) – the Lieutenant Governor’s office is far from being the “stepping stone” some might think. In fact, if recent history is any indication, it’s a dead end job.
In 2002, Lt. Gov. Bob Peeler failed to make it out of the GOP primary, while Peeler’s predecessor, Democrat Nick Theodore, was defeated by David Beasley in the 1994 general election. Before that, Theodore’s predecessor -Democrat Mike Daniel – was defeated by Carroll Campbell in the 1986 general election.
Also, while Bauer is the most widely-known of the GOP candidates, in his case that sword clearly cuts both ways.
Bauer’s negatives are through the roof with GOP primary voters, in large part because he has a well-documented history of juvenile and unpredictable behavior. Much more relevant to our concerns, however, he has been a force against real reform in South Carolina for the past eight years, and has demonstrated an unsteady commitment to fiscally conservative values.
Most recently, Bauer created a firestorm with comments comparing children who receive free and reduced lunch to “stray animals.”
Nice, huh?
Bauer, who is single, is also dogged by persistent rumors regarding his sexuality. Last September, Bauer was “exposed” by a national blog that “outs” closeted Republican politicians – a leak that many attributed to S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford, who was fighting for his political life at the time and looking for every possible way to discredit Bauer.
Prior to that, Democratic Congressional candidate Linda Ketner also “outed” Bauer and two other S.C. Republicans – Sen. Lindsey Graham and State Senate President Glenn McConnell – as closet homosexuals.
As we’ve noted in the past, FITS has received detailed confirmation of at least one heterosexual relationship involving the Lt. Governor in the past, although one of the hottest rumors on the campaign trail back in 2002 was that a Newberry County divorce action allegedly implicated Bauer in a homosexual tryst with a married man. Those allegations never went public, though, largely because no documents ever surfaced to corroborate the claims.
Bauer maintains he is heterosexual, and Ketner has since apologized for her claim and stated that it was not based on personal knowledge.
In spite of all of this, those who underestimate Bauer’s political prospects do so at their own peril.
Left for dead in the 2006 Republican primary against challenger Mike Campbell, Bauer mounted a furious comeback that enabled him to not only win the GOP nomination – but also a second term as Lt. Governor. In fact, even Bauer’s enemies are among the first to acknowledge that there is no better – or harder-working – retail politician in the state, a skill that has paid tremendous dividends for him throughout his career in the only polls that matter, elections.
If Bauer’s campaign can find a way to fill the gaping void of true fiscal conservative policy in the 2010 governor’s race, he could easily defeat RINO poseurs Barrett and McMaster.
By Another Opinion March 20, 2010 at 11:54 am
Care less. Bye bye Bauer won’t be getting this vote.
By 803andy March 20, 2010 at 11:56 am
He can run for Governor but not find a wife? Even when its almost political suicide for a Governor to not have a family. G-g-g-g-g-gay!
By LennyW1212 March 20, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Is it not clear that two negative posts two minutes apart are from on of Bauer’s rival campaigns? You chaps need to get a life besides sitting in your parents’ basements in front of your computer.
By fitsnews March 20, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Lenny-
“Rival campaign?” What part of us bashing ALL the gubernatorial candidates do you not get?
BTW we are out and about enjoying the sun with our families on this gorgeous spring day in South Carolina.
-FITS
By lennyW March 20, 2010 at 2:23 pm
Was referring to 803andy and another opinion.
Enjoy the day, everyone.
By No Name March 20, 2010 at 3:03 pm
Baby Bauer campaign ….it is called a smart phone and the baseball game does not start until 4.
Baby just needs to survive the first round…if he and Nicki pound Bailout Barret about TARP and the Bush disaster that got us here….that’s right Bush put us in this position with his policies\war\ and the bailouts….then he can focus on Henry.
I thought his pander to the racially sensitive was brilliant politics for the Upstate crown and positions him well as the non-traditional …non Federal status quo.
He just needs to run as exactly not Bailout…not for bailing out Goldman Sachs….pound away on it and make Gresham speak….that will doom him.
In a street fight between Andre and the cadet I think Shealy and the Baby win.
By John Arkos March 20, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Who would want to be governor of THIS state?
S.C. has the weakest governor and the most powerful legislature in the nation.
A small cabal of entrenched legislators allow governors to do only what THEY decide.
Besides visiting plant openings, attending National Governors Association meetings, getting overruled at B&CB meetings and making the State of the State address, what does our governor actually do that makes any difference?
By BLEnforcer March 20, 2010 at 5:41 pm
Other than being queer Andre completely represents values that resonate
with most South Carolinians. Good chance he’ll become the next
governor and at least he has the decency to keep this sexuality
private, unlike our current governor and unlike the many unpleasant
rumors circulating about Rep. Barrett’s extracirrular activities.
By Joshua Evans March 20, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Lets face it Bauer is a joke- he will never win the primary. Him and Nikki are not as well funded as McMaster or Barrett who will be the eventual two candidates to go against one another leaving Bauer and Nikki in the dust.
By BLEnforcer March 20, 2010 at 6:34 pm
By “enjoying this sunny day,” do you mean that you’re doing
exactly what the hell your wife is telling you to do? If so,
I feel you pain, brother, I really do.
By Houseguest March 20, 2010 at 7:40 pm
Do we really have to look at pictures of this insignificant puke for the next seven months?
By Doris March 20, 2010 at 9:10 pm
I’m voting for Andre because he’s handsome and Jakie said to do so. That’s that.
By callout March 20, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Gay Pride Day for Andre!!!! Yesssss!!
By Ynotfirst March 20, 2010 at 11:14 pm
that Newberry story is true Sic. no documents here but many locals have personal knowledge~
By Yankees Fan March 21, 2010 at 2:01 pm
great news for south carolina…this is exactly the type of new leadership we need too go into the future and become a different state…bauer will be a great governer
By Ynotfirst March 21, 2010 at 6:55 pm
I’m thinkin I wanna be Governor. I want to see the off balance budget sheets and the profit the elected reap from those entries.
By James the Foot Soldier March 21, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Does Andre wax anywhere other than his uni-brow?
By Skidmarks March 22, 2010 at 10:03 am
The AP reported that Bauer received free school lunches as a child after his parents divorced.
But that’s ok because he doesn’t breed for the purpose of procreating.
By WorkingTommyC March 22, 2010 at 10:42 am
Oh, yeah, Doris! That’s a good one! LOL! (Assuming you’re saying that in jest.)
Jakie Knottzi knows fellow pigs and he and Bauer are good at feeding at the trough.
By beentook2 March 22, 2010 at 11:00 am
God took seven days to create the universe.
On the eighth day he created Bauer and Knotts to fuck it up.
By Mike Traynor March 22, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Let’s see . . . Henry, Gresham or Haley (who is sucking at the balls of Sanford)? Hmmm, despite his issues, looks like Andre is the best of the bunch.
By justsaynotojoe March 22, 2010 at 12:39 pm
So, if Andre is flying himself around the state today this could become a self correcting problem.