Voters in the South Carolina Lowcountry will go to the polls today to choose a replacement for disgraced former S.C. Sen. Robert Ford – who resigned his seat earlier this year amid an ethics probe that including dildos and male enhancement pills.
No really … we’re not joking.
Anyway this seat – which includes parts of Charleston and Dorchester counties – will likely go to Democrat Marlon Kimpson, a black candidate running in a district that features a 62 percent BVAP. For those of you unfamiliar with pollster-speak, “BVAP” stands for “Black Voting Age Population.” If a district’s BVAP is higher than 35 percent, most Republicans won’t even run for the seat because of the built-in demographic advantage to Democratic candidates.
This is a special election, though, which means turnout will be artificially low … although we suspect it still won’t be low enough to lift “Republican” candidate Billy Shuman to victory (despite the bold predictions of local GOP leaders).
Our favorite candidate in this race? Limited government hottie Alex Thornton, a local photographer who is running on the Libertarian ticket. Unlike the two major party candidates, Thornton is actually running on substantive policy – specifically, a plan to eliminate South Carolina’s individual income tax (which is the tax paid by the majority of businesses in the Palmetto State).
That a policy plank we’ve supported for years … and it is a vitally necessary tax reform if South Carolina ever hopes to achieve real economic development (i.e. the non-government induced kind).
Thornton also supports decriminalizing marijuana – a position which has been advanced by Democratic minority leader Todd Rutherford.
So … does Thornton have a chance?
Of course not. A legitimate third party movement is still a few years off in South Carolina – and when it does form, our guess is it won’t go by the “libertarian” moniker (even though it will certainly embrace libertarian ideology).
Still, the addition of candidates like Thornton in races like this is long overdue.
Now if only we could get a legitimate independent conservative alternative in the 2014 governor’s race …
9 comments
Hawt.
No pics of her pumping gas?
TBG would love to discuss the finer points of Rothbard and Bastiat before filling her minivan.
Hell, why not support her Candidacy for Governor
Younger than current Governor
Prettier than current Governor
Has ideology, current Governor can’t even spell ideology
Never been soiled by the likes of sic willie
Never has given a Port away for a pair of loop earrings and nipple barbells
Not married to a Cuckold
Clothes not made by Omar the Tent Maker
Comes from the Holy City, bless her heart
Can’t believe no one ever sent you the ridiculous pictures of Marlon Kimpson, riding in his firm’s jet, his 40th birthday party where he had an ice portrait of his own face made, the picture of him with his own cardboard cut out, or the picture of his showing off he doesn’t have monogrammed shirts, his shirts have his entire signature on them. He is surely a man of the (poor/black) people.
I have to stop myself from saying “Can’t be worse than Ford.” If SC politics has taught me anything, it is that, yes, it can always get worse.
Disgraced Robert Ford….yes…but, how about…disgaced Mark Sanford…disgraced Nikki Haley….disgraced Richard Eckstrom….disgraced Ronnie Cromer…disgraced Harvey Peeler and his brother Bob …disgraced Luke Rankin….Speaker Bobby Harrell…disgraced Chief Justice Jean Toal….. ______…._______…….______….. fill in the blanks folks there are more disgraced than honorable Statesmen!!!!!
I don’t know the first thing about Thornton, but at least she has the self respect to run as a Libertarian, unlike the rest of you cowards who run as Republicans.
Jake Knotts for Governor 2014!!!
Facing nearly double the number of BAVP, 62%, Billy Shuman’s run for this seat shows that his efforts, his message, his beliefs, and his future were embraced by many people of this district. Normally a Caucasian Male or Female where the BAVP is over 35%, will not even run, given political statistics on voting statistics. Certainly, Senator Ford, appears to have let his constituents down, and we can only hope that Mr. Kimpson, will follow through on the promises he made, and work hard for the people of this district. I believe Mr. Shuman ran a fair, honest grass roots campaign, and hope that should an opportunity for him to serve the people of South Carolina as a representative or a position within the party or even within one of the higher offices, that serious consideration be given to him. He cares, he is knowledgable, he is not a career politician, and he cares for all of the people of District 42, and the greater Charleston area, and the Great State of South Carolina. Congratulations again to Mr. Kimpson. I hope that this is not the last time we hear or see Shuman running for office, his voice is needed, and we would all benefit from his representation. Thank you Mr. Shuman, you were up against tremendous odds, yet in the face of adversity, you ran a solid campaign, one of integrity, and I hope that you will run again, sir. Yours Truly, Charleston4evah!
Shuman and his party talk a small government game, but when it comes down to it, would they really be different than any of the other RINOs we have? I think not. A Republican will never win this district, but a Libertarian, given enough time, very well could with the message of individual liberty and personal freedom.