SC

The Race For Bobby Harrell’s Seat Is On

CONFUSION REIGNS AS CANDIDATES JOCKEY FOR POSITION …  By FITSNEWS ||  South Carolina’s “Republican” election commission has decided to hold a special election for S.C. House District 114 – the seat being vacated by former S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell. Harrell resigned his office this month as part of a plea…

CONFUSION REIGNS AS CANDIDATES JOCKEY FOR POSITION … 

By FITSNEWS ||  South Carolina’s “Republican” election commission has decided to hold a special election for S.C. House District 114 – the seat being vacated by former S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell.

Harrell resigned his office this month as part of a plea deal related to his public corruption case.  Under the terms of the agreement he is prohibited from seeking or holding public office during his three-year probation.

The commission – appointed by Gov. Nikki Haley – voted to scrap the November 4 election in which Harrell’s name appeared on the ballot alongside that of Democrat Mary Tinkler and Green Party candidate Sue Edwards.  Instead, commissioners will issue an order calling for a special election to be held in December for the seat.

And candidates are already lining up.

Among them?  Charleston County GOP chairman John Steinberger, his predecessor Lin Bennett, former S.C. Senate candidate Wally Burbage and Clara Heinsohn (mother-in-law of S.C. Rep. Leon Stavrinakis).

Other names may surface in the coming days …

Filing for the race will open next week, with the tentative plan calling for a special GOP primary election on November 25 and a special general election on December 9.  That race would feature the GOP winner against Tinkler and Edwards.

Of course no one is sure what happens if the November 25 primary fails to produce a Republican candidate with more than 50 percent of the vote – because in such cases state law calls for a runoff election.

Once again … everything in South Carolina politics is being made up on the fly.

For her part, Tinkler is suing because she believes the November 4 election – in which she’s now effectively unopposed – should move forward (citing that numerous early and absentee ballots have already been cast).  Democrats are also irate that a “Republican” governor, GOP Attorney General and “Republican” appointed commission reached the decision – which basically gives the GOP a mulligan.

It’s a mess …

What do we think should happen?  We don’t really care … the race has no bearing on the ideological composition of the S.C. House of Representatives, which has remained under the control of fiscal liberals since the “Republicans” took control of it twenty years ago.

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53 comments

Deo Vindice SC October 30, 2014 at 5:26 pm

Nikki’s man comes to mind. Rob Godfrey I think. Darla Moore is not worth the position. Nikki knows this from Robs experience of her duties as governor.

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Tom October 30, 2014 at 5:34 pm

What a total rip off. Leave it up to a bunch of Republicans to figure out a way to steal a race, they screwed up. Ms. Tinkler has now expended all of her money running in a race that will be scrapped, leaving a bunch of Koch sucking Repugnuts with plenty of money to spend on the real race. So much for fair elections.

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Deo Vindice SC October 30, 2014 at 6:00 pm

Get ready for pub tom !!!

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Bible Thumper October 30, 2014 at 6:02 pm

I agree with you, but what if Harrell wins anyway. Can the office be given to Tinkler without a majority or a plurality?

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Tom October 30, 2014 at 6:12 pm

I say cross that bridge when we come to it. He may not win; and if he does, then we need to know what the law says normally happens when any person who wins is disqualified from holding the seat they ran for.

This is politics at its worse. Screw the honest hard working candidate and try to give the job to a party boss. There is no way she can raise enough money to mount another campaign. She doesn’t even know who she is running against.

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Sandi Morals October 30, 2014 at 6:29 pm

“politics at its worse”? How about the way “traitor” tommy, Sheheen and the SCDP “screwed” and apparently colluded to fuck the voters of SC.It appears none of em had any intent to try and win this election-they just wanted the MONEY. Ervin had $1.2 million on hand and quit.Imagine that.

$$$MILLION$$$$ Tommy gonna return the campaign donations he received as a “good faith” candidate from his supporters and the voters?

Be consistent Tom and show more character than your political brother, “traitor” tommy.

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Deo Vindice SC October 30, 2014 at 7:07 pm

as for me, I care nothing for a politician in SC, I want Sandi’s sweet ass. I dreamed about last night, want to hear about it ?

CorruptionInColumbia October 30, 2014 at 7:09 pm

Dude, I hope you had a paint scraper in that dream, to get the caked-on feces off of her butt.

Deo Vindice SC October 30, 2014 at 7:11 pm

Dam you pegged me. I love fucking assholes. Sandi’s seemed so sweet. Thanks friend.

CorruptionInColumbia October 30, 2014 at 7:09 pm

Dude, I hope you had a paint scraper in that dream, to get the caked-on feces off of her butt.

Deo Vindice SC October 30, 2014 at 7:07 pm

as for me, I care nothing for a politician in SC, I want Sandi’s sweet ass. I dreamed about last night, want to hear about it ?

Peter O. October 30, 2014 at 6:50 pm

Votes for Harrell would not have counted, so the 2nd-place finisher would have won.

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John October 30, 2014 at 6:57 pm

So it really is a just outright theft. How does Nikki find all these corrupt people to serve on these commissions. You would think that at least some Republicans would not be corrupt. But apparently there is an endless supply of corrupt Republicans to choose from.

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Sandi Morals October 30, 2014 at 7:09 pm

Theft? LIke a political candidate accepting campaign donations in good faith and then quitting a week before the election after some of his supporters had already cast votes for him?

Is that theft or just politics? Just asking.

Deo Vindice SC October 30, 2014 at 8:16 pm

what about your ass Sandi ?

Sandi Morals October 30, 2014 at 7:09 pm

Theft? LIke a political candidate accepting campaign donations in good faith and then quitting a week before the election after some of his supporters had already cast votes for him?

Is that theft or just politics? Just asking.

well-i-am into it October 31, 2014 at 3:46 pm

Just saw a Post and Courier article with the State Election Commission order on the “disqualified” issue of Harrell. All I can say is the SEC are plain dumb and lost in trying to cut & paste words from a previous case of Thurmond, without using their brains. In Harrell’s case, there was no court order or violation of election rules to “disqualify” him. He, as part of a plea deal, agreed not to run for office. He cannot technically “disqualify” himself, which in effect is what you are doing when you AGREE to a plea deal. Court did not write the plea deal…nor was there a court order forcing him to sign a deal. The word “disqualify”, IMO, does not apply to Harrell’s situation. So..again..in my view Harrell withdrew from a political process on his own free will as part of the plea (as stated under oath in court) and the court or the plea deal did not automatically force to “disqualify” him. Miss.Tinkler and the GP candidate have a right to be very very upset at this needless circus and cry baby GOP leadership. GOP folks should have had the guts and stones to challenge Harrell in the primaries and not wait for him to fade away and then show up at the SEC door in diapers and cry “oh, i meant to run too”.

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Crooner October 30, 2014 at 5:38 pm

This is a travesty. Tinkler wasn’t unopposed. She just didn’t have a Republican to run against. Your comment about it failing to change the composition of the house is an important one for this reason: the Republicans who run this state are willing to raise this huge appearance of impropriety (Harrell dropped out for “family reasons” and not because he pled guilty to misconduct in office?) WHERE IT DOESN’T EVEN FUCKING MATTER!!! Why are they incapable of taking the high (and credible) road and then just re-taking the seat the next time around?

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Mary October 30, 2014 at 6:22 pm

Because they are Republicans. They are corruption incarnate. This is their seat.

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Sandi Morals October 30, 2014 at 6:37 pm

Ervin and Sheheen have destroyed the SCDP for decades and nobody believes Ervin just decided to drop out of the governor’s race on Monday night and endorse Sheheen.

His wife has even been donating money to senate Democrat candidates this year-Begich (AK) and Pryor(AR).

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Sandi Morals October 30, 2014 at 6:31 pm

I would take Harrell any day over Ervin and Sheheen-and on Tuesday you socialists will find that the voters of SC do as well.

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CorruptionInColumbia October 30, 2014 at 6:57 pm

Yeah, you would.

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Sandi Morals October 30, 2014 at 7:01 pm

What is the difference between Ervin and Harrell and as far as I know Harrell has never defined a women as whores like Sheheen?

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Tom October 30, 2014 at 7:05 pm

Sheheen never said women were whores. He said Nikki Haley was a whore. This proves he was right.

Tom October 30, 2014 at 7:05 pm

Sheheen never said women were whores. He said Nikki Haley was a whore. This proves he was right.

CorruptionInColumbia October 30, 2014 at 7:06 pm

When they are as corrupt to the core as Harrell, Haley, and the like, they don’t deserve another term. If it means holding your nose and voting for a Democrat to get these scum out of our offices, it is worth it, IMHO.

What’s wrong with calling a whore a whore?

CorruptionInColumbia October 30, 2014 at 7:06 pm

When they are as corrupt to the core as Harrell, Haley, and the like, they don’t deserve another term. If it means holding your nose and voting for a Democrat to get these scum out of our offices, it is worth it, IMHO.

What’s wrong with calling a whore a whore?

Deo Vindice SC October 30, 2014 at 7:12 pm

I love you !

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Tazmaniac October 30, 2014 at 5:46 pm

If Harrell screws his party I say tough crap. Maybe the parties would think twice about supporting crooks if they were to take a hit also.

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Correctomundo October 30, 2014 at 8:05 pm

Yep, and even better, why shouldn’t a Democrat fill his seat, he and most of the Republican party have been spending like Democrats anyway.

It’s a perfect fit if you ask me.

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Sconset987 October 30, 2014 at 5:53 pm

I hope Mary Tinkler wins in court. The fair thing would be to go forward with the election on November 4. It should not be her problem that the Republicans no longer have a candidate. If Tinkler wins, so be it. The Republicans will have their chance to knock her off in 2016.

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Deo Vindice SC October 30, 2014 at 6:04 pm

ANYONE in SC that thinks a change is coming is TOO-PIDD, !!!

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Bible Thumper October 30, 2014 at 6:08 pm

The commission – appointed by Gov. Nikki Haley – voted to scrap the November 4.
They can’t do that. Tinkler first needs to get a judge to order that the Nov. 4 election goes forward. But Harrell’s name will still be on the ballot. What if Harrell gets the most votes? Who wins?

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aikencounty October 30, 2014 at 6:12 pm

WRITE!
RITA JENRETTE!
PUT SOME CLASS IN COLUMBIA!
YOU BETCHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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well-i-am into it October 30, 2014 at 6:59 pm

It’s disappointing that the situation has come to this. We have commissions without brains….and politics and party affiliations get blamed. I think it just plain dumb people who made this decision. What if another candidate withdraws for “family” reasons just toy with the system. The election commission knew about Harrell’s troubles, Harrell knew about his trouble for a long time, GOP knew about it as well and still fielded him as a candidate, campaign donors knew about it and still donated….heck other GOD potentials like the ones now jumping in also knew about it…..where were all these guys back in the primaries. The GOP should look at themselves for disenfranchising people and blame themselves and their leadership for this situation…..and not make the other two contenders in this race, who ran a hard, honest and straight-faced campaign, pay for what the GOP failed at leadership.

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Tom October 30, 2014 at 7:03 pm

Everything you said is correct with the exception of “this is just dumb people who made this decision.” These people are corrupt. They want to give this seat to a Republican party boss. They don’t give a crap how it looks or what the brain dead SC voters think.

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Sandi Morals October 30, 2014 at 7:06 pm

Didn’t DEmocrat Tom ERvin ‘disenfranchise’ his supporters and voters by taking almost $100 GRAND from em and then quitting a week before the election?

Just trying to see the difference between Harrell and Ervin, Sheheen and the SCDP?

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well-i-am into it October 30, 2014 at 7:13 pm

No, definitely not. Ervin did the honorable thing..to bow out when he thought he will not win and follow his conviction that Haley should be replaced. That’s his thought and so he said he supports Sheheen. That is the proper political process where candidates drop out when they fell they are not viable anymore and follow a political strategy. Harrell threw a wrench in this be saying he is resigning for “family” reasons. How is this a “family” reason? He entered a political process and his plea deal says he must withdraw from the political process….so in my view it is a political move. Shouldnt someone challenge Harrells sworn affidavit in the first place?

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Sandi Morals October 30, 2014 at 7:21 pm

LMAO!!! John says lying to the voters, taking their money and then quitting a week before an election is “honorable”.

NO wonder the SCDP has as much influence in SC politics as Christians do in North Korea or Iran.

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John October 30, 2014 at 7:24 pm

I never said any of that. You are a liar who just make crap up like the SC political digest guy or girl. I said Nikki Haley’s election commission was stealing this election. That is in fact what they are doing. That makes Nikki Haley a typical corrupt politician.

Sandi Morals October 30, 2014 at 7:32 pm

Sure you did. You said what Ervin did was “honorable” . In my opinion, he deceived his supporters and voters, took their money and then ran and quit.

By definition,would that be “corrupt”?

John October 30, 2014 at 7:36 pm

As I said, you are a liar who just makes crap up. Nikki Haley is corrupt, her commission is corrupt, and the SC Republican party is apparently corrupt to the core. Integrity no longer exists in the world of SC Republicans. Its frankly disgusting.

Sandi Morals October 30, 2014 at 7:44 pm

Only thing I can tell you is the SC Democrat Party was defined by Sheheen this week on national forums and by the main stream media as being unfriendly to women by calling the governor a “whore”-and laughing about it.

Ervin, by quitting and endorsing Sheheen, nailed the coffin shut for ANY SC Democrat seeking a national platform or exposure for a possible political future.

Tom October 30, 2014 at 8:25 pm

Only on the Fake News network would anyone care that Shaheen let it slip out that Nikki Haley was a whore. Its not like it was a big secret or anything.. Nikki Haley is a Mark Sanford wanna be, who will never even achieve that really really really low bar. I mean really, what is this, a limbo contest?

Beartrkkr October 31, 2014 at 1:21 am

Paying money to politicians is akin to gambling. Might win, might lose. Paying money to a long shot candidate (or a Democrat) increases your odds of losing your wad.

Sandi Morals October 30, 2014 at 7:06 pm

Didn’t DEmocrat Tom ERvin ‘disenfranchise’ his supporters and voters by taking almost $100 GRAND from em and then quitting a week before the election?

Just trying to see the difference between Harrell and Ervin, Sheheen and the SCDP?

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Steinberger on the "C" word? October 30, 2014 at 8:36 pm

When Steinberger opposed Harrell in the last GOP election primary, his one and only platform was the Mike Huckabee “fair tax”. Not a disparaging word from Steinberger about the elephant in the room — state-level corruption — poisoning South Carolina.

Tinkler made fighting state-level corruption her number one campaign platform: including eliminating the House
and Senate Ethics Committees and replacing their flimsy
oversight with the State Ethics Commission — given new and broader authority.

It’ll be interesting to see if Steinberger (who’ll get the most GOP votes) mentions the “C” word.

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Matthew October 30, 2014 at 10:47 pm

The current law does state that if a Party looses a nominee, then there has to be a special election to replace that nominee. many of you are correct that Harrell, resigned, but that was part of criminal proceedings, and as part of the plea deal he is disallowed from holding office for the next three years. The provision in the law that allows for the replacement of the nominee, does not allow that for political reasons. In the past the reasons for this provision have been death of the candidate, and a candidate moving out of district or state for Work related reasons. In this case, according to his plea agreement, even if he won the election he would be ineligible to hold the office, the same could be said if the candidate moved out of district or state. I don’t think Ms Tinker will win her lawsuit, clearly mr Harrell is can no longer hold office(at least for the next 3 years) and as such the GOP has lost its nominee. The reasons are for Criminal, not political reasons. There is a schedule for the timing of these elections it is in the election code, It is a very quick cycle. When we had it up here in the upstate there was a primary, and then a runoff two weeks later, then the general.
the Nominee in the House 21 seat died after the primary, but before the general election, there was a special election for the seat I think 4 or 5 filed for the seat, there was a runoff, the the general election was in early December if I remember. Phyllis Henderson is currently in that seat

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Alice in South Carolina-Land October 31, 2014 at 3:51 am

Your logic is wrong-headed; Harrell lost his seat because, to continue his political career, he committed crimes. Separating his political and criminal personas under the statute is no more possible than separating the redness from the apple except in his case he became a politician and then ripened into a criminal politician.

His core responsibility and uppermost and primary job was “politician” — speaker of the house — a legislator chosen by his constituents in a political process and then by his peers in yet another political process. Politician through-and-through, no disrespect intended.

Your example of a legislator dying is off-point; the special election flowing from his death had nothing to do with his political persona — unless he died, say, in an duel with a political rival.

The Election Commission’s ruling turned logic on its head and — complete Jabberwocky.

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Native Ink October 30, 2014 at 11:13 pm

My question is whether the 2 major parties have some special right to be represented in an election. Tinkler has an opponent, the Green Party candidate. If the Green Party candidate was disqualified at the last minute, would we postpone the election? Aren’t all parties supposed to be on the same footing? I think it’s called democracy.

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Sharon October 31, 2014 at 7:52 am

This just goes to show who has the power in this state. The scumbags with money lost this election because they backed a crook and now they are saying no we make the rules and we are in charge. I hope the supreme court rules in favor Ms Tinkler and the other candidate. Pathetic that the voters allow this to happen.

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flatwarter's ghos October 31, 2014 at 8:16 am

I think I’d vote for Sue Edwards over the hand selected annointed Tinkler, a puppet owned by the ILA and Charleston Five money.

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Squishy123 October 31, 2014 at 10:37 am

So has Andre’ Bauer decidedly moved his residence again?

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