Experienced Candidates Emerging in SC1?

At the Propeller Club Forum for GOP Candidates in the First Congressional District on Thursday night, the questions came rapid-fire from moderator Rob New.

So, those not well-versed on the issues struggled at times to keep up.

Conversely, those with political experience seemed more at ease, able to refer to votes they've previously cast on issues at stake. 

When you add in the built-in advantage of an existing voter and donor base, perhaps it’s no surprise that the top four finishers in the unofficial straw poll conducted after the event were Sen. Larry Grooms and Rep. Chip Limehouse, who tied for first, Rep. Peter McCoy and former Gov. Mark Sanford.

Each man was able to speak directly to legislation they had worked on that affected the Port of Charleston, the issue of most-concern to the audience of about 125.

Interestingly, Elizabeth Colbert Busch finished fifth in the straw poll even though she did not appear at the event. She is, however, a member of the Propeller Club Board and her husband is a past president.

All-told, about 90 votes were cast in the straw poll.

At times, the candidates bristled at the “Yes/No” nature of the questions, requesting that more facts be provided to make a decision. This was particularly the case on matters of foreign policy.

Sanford particularly was able to make concise points within a short amount of time.

After the event he told Patch: “Sometimes when you get into the weeds, a lot of things can’t be reduced to sound bites and a thoughtful approach is always where I’ve come from in my career.”

Teddy Turner also said the format took some getting used to.

”A career politician can give the answer that they think is the most conservative, but it might not necessarily be the smartest answer,” he said. “Someone who was in office will have an advantage in this kind of forum.”  

The other current officeholder in the race, Andy Patrick, is from Beaufort County and an unknown to most in the northern part of SC1. Patrick said he’s made a special effort to understand issues unique to Charleston County and it showed in his ability to use his military background to speak to the large military constituency at the Forum.

On spending, the candidates mostly stuck to conservative doctrine—against Obamacare, cutting spending is greatly preferred to raising taxes, etc. The candidates were in favor of prioritizing the development of the Port. They were mixed on whether the Clemson Wind Turbine program should be funded—a project associated with Colbert Busch. One of those who expressed support for funding that effort was Grooms, thought to be one of the top tier candidates.

One issue that Democrats will almost certainly try to exploit is minimum wage. During the State of the Union Address, President Obama demanded it be raised to $9 an hour.

But the GOP candidates in SC1 were not just against raising it, they were unanimously in favor of eliminating a minimum wage altogether. That stance might not be too popular in a country where the two largest private sector employers are Wal-Mart and McDonald’s and in SC1, where many jobs are dependent on seasonal tourism.

With fewer than three weeks left in the primary race, and, according to some internal polls, as many as 40 percent of voters undecided, there is still time for a candidate to surge to one of the top two spots and make a run-off.

But the clock is now ticking.

What’s notable is that the field appears to have all but conceded a spot for Sanford in the final two.

Except for the occasional commercial, Sanford, whose vulnerabilities are well-known, has not been challenged directly. Given that he is the person Democrats would most like to see against Colbert Busch in a general election, it will be interesting to see of this trend continues.

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