Chip Limehouse Wins Citadel GOP Straw Poll

Rep. Chip Limehouse received a boost to his campaign on Saturday night when he finished first in the Citadel Republican Society's straw poll of First Congressional District candidates.

Limehouse finished with 22 percent of the 172 votes, easily outpacing Mark Sanford who was second with 15 percent. Ray Nash and Teddy Turner finished tie for third. Jonathan Hoffman was fifth.

The rest of the field filled out in the following order: Jeff King, Sen. Larry Grooms, Rep. Andy Patrick,  Rep. Peter McCoy, Elizabeth Moffly, Curtis Bostic, Ric Bryant, Tim Larkin, John Kuhn, Keith Blandford and Shawn Pinkston.

Grooms and Bostic did not attend the event.

The straw poll was the largest thus far in the race and produced a third different winner. Limehouse tied with Grooms at the Propeller Forum event last week. Previously, John Kuhn won the FreedomWorks straw poll.

“I am glad that my proven conservative record is winning support across the Lowcountry,” Limehouse said in a statement. “As a small businessman I know how to fix Washington, balance budgets, create jobs and cut wasteful spending. We need more successful small businessman in Washington to help solve the problems facing our nation.”

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