Floyd concedes to Rex in education chief race

Republican education superintendent candidate Karen Floyd has conceded the race, her Democratic opponent Jim Rex said this morning.

Rex says Floyd, who has called a news conference for this afternoon in Spartanburg, called him this morning and informed him of her decision.

According to the State Election Commission-certified recount, Rex received 455 more votes than Floyd in the Nov. 7 election. Nearly 1.1 million votes were cast in the statewide race, which is one of the closest in South Carolina history.

Rex met with some staffers at the state Education Department this morning as he begins to transition into his new post.

Update at thestate.com - 1:50 p.m.

Election officials certify Rex, Bauer win in recount

The State Election Commission today certified the recount results in the state education superintendent and lieutenant governor races.

Democrat Jim Rex beat Republican Karen Floyd in the schools chief race by just 455 votes out of nearly 1.1 million ballots cast.

Republican Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, meanwhile, defeated Democrat Robert Barber by 3,108 votes.

Both races were so close after the Nov. 7 Election Day, that mandatory recounts were ordered for this week.

Republicans raise concerns over results

The race for superintendent of education is not over, according to state Republican Party officials.

Citing questions that "surround the integrity of the election process," Republican officials Friday urged superintendent of education candidate Karen Floyd to hold off on accepting the outcome of a Thursday's recount. The second run at totalling ballots showed Floyd trailed Democrat Jim Rex by 455 votes out of more than 1 million cast.

Thurday's recount was ordered because the margin between the top two candidates was less than 1 percent of the ballots cast. Candidates have until Wednesday to mount a challenge.

The recount left the margin between candidates largely unchanged. Rex led by 564 votes then.

"As recently as (Thursday) morning, six days after the state certification process, errors were found in Sumter County that concluded Jim Rex received 266 erroneous votes," party chairman Katon Dawson said in a statement.

Both Floyd and Rex lost votes in Sumter County after the recount.

Thursday's recount gave Rex 12,425 votes in the county, or 287 fewer votes. Floyd got 8,869 votes after the recount, or 130 less.

Dawson said the state party has received "numerous reports of voting improprieties and the reports continue even now, more than a week after the general election."

"While questions continue to surround the integrity of the election process, it is simply premature for a winner to be declared," he said.

Rex has begun working with a transition team to succeed Inez Tenenbaum as superintendent. Rex would begin his term on Jan. 10.

General election recount begins Thursday

Ballots cast Nov. 7 for lieutenant governor and state superintendent will be recounted in every South Carolina county beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday, the State Board of Canvassers announced this morning.

The board met today to certify the Nov. 7 general election results.

The recounts are required by law because the margin of victory in both races was within 1 percent.

In the lieutenant governor race, the results showed Republican Andre Bauer edging out Democrat Robert Barber by 3,232 votes, separating the two by a .29 percent margin.

In the state superintendent race, the results showed Democrat Jim Rex beating Republican Karen Floyd by 564 votes, or .05 percent.

The recounts will include 31 previously uncounted ballots found Tuesday in Greenville County, the canvassers decided.

The ballots were found in the county’s election office unopened and were believed to have been turned in prior to polls closing Nov. 7, said Marci Andino, S.C. Election Commission executive director.

The county-by-county recount process operates the same as the initial vote-counting process, Andino said.

Cartridges containing electronic vote results are fed into a computerized tally, and all paper ballots, such as absentee ballots and provisional ballots, are hand-counted.

Officials said they expect to re-ceive recount results by Thursday afternoon, and the results will be posted on the S.C. Election Commission Web site, www.scvotes.org, throughout the day. The Board of Canvassers is scheduled to meet again at 10 a.m. Friday to certify the recount results.

Officials said they expect to receive recount results by Thursday afternoon, and the results will be posted on the S.C. Election Commission Web site,

-- Lisa Michals, Staff Writer

Vilsack announces candidacy, plans S.C. visit

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack this morning announced he will seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for president in 2008 and will hold an announcement event in South Carolina in the coming weeks.

Vilsack filed documents with the Federal Election Commission to create a presidential campaign committee. He plans to kick off his campaign in Iowa on Nov. 30 and will hold announcement events in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Nevada and South Carolina.

Iowa will hold the first-in-the-nation selection event in early 2008. Nevada will follow close after with another caucus, then New Hampshire Democrats will host the first primary, followed by South Carolina’s first-in-the-South primary.

Vilsack has hired veteran Democratic fundraiser Michael Hayden to be his national finance director. Hayden has worked on several South Carolina campaigns, including that of former Gov. Jim Hodges.

Delaware Sen. Joe Biden is the only other Democrat who has officially said he’s running for president.

California Congressman Duncan Hunter is the only announced Republican candidate.

Bauer declares victory; recount ahead

Republican Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer declared victory Wednesday in the Capitol, stating too few outstanding ballots were left uncounted for challenger Robert Barber to win.

In a 30-minute meeting with reporters, Bauer said he expected a recount of ballots in Greenville to bear him out.

In Bauer's closest race ever - and one of the closest in state history - he led Barber by about 3,000 votes after Tuesday's cliffhanger election. The margin amounts to about 3/10ths of a percentage point more votes for Bauer.

Bauer said with only about 600 ballots outstanding in the Upstate, he didn't see a way Barber could win.

Barber issued a statement Wednesday afternoon saying the race was still too close to call and that he would let an automatic recount go forward. Races where top candidates are within one percentage point are subject to an official recount.

Bauer ahead with one precinct out

Incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer said Wednesday morning that the single outstanding ballot box in his yet-undecided race has no more than 2,000 votes in it.

Bauer told ETV Radio that while he has a 3,300-vote margin over Democratic challenger Robert Barber, there is one ballot box that has yet to be counted. An unofficial Associated Press shows Bauer ahead by 3,319 votes with 2,058 of 2,059 precincts reporting.

"I had somebody look," Bauer said, according to ETV. "There were no boxes over 2,000 votes. It is kind of crazy that that one box is still out."

Bauer said he expects the race will not be decided "for a few days."

Voting extended an hour in 5th District

Voters got an extra hour to vote in four precincts in South Carolina's 5th Congressional District on Tuesday because of glitches with the electronic voting machines, a judge ruled.
The Democratic Party sued and asked for an injunction, though it was not immediately clear why Circuit Judge Brooks Goldsmith chose just four precincts, said Hazel Taylor, vice chairman of the Lancaster County election commission.
Patrick Norton, a party spokesman, said voters complained through a toll-free hotline that machines were inoperative for about an hour and a half when polls opened.
Minor problems, including glitches with the electronic voting machines and a poll manager who overslept, were reported across the state.

Election officials: Absentee voting up in 2006

Absentee voting for this mid-term election already may have surpassed 2002 totals, the State Election Commission says.
So far, at least 80,164 absentee ballots have been requested for this election compared with 77,686 absentee ballots issued four years ago.
Absentee ballots may be cast at county voter registration offices until 5 p.m. today.

Poll: Sanford holds onto lead

Republican Gov. Mark Sanford continues to hold a commanding lead in his bid for re-election, according to a SurveyUSA poll.
Sanford led Democratic state Sen. Tommy Moore 57 percent to 40 percent with 3 percent still undecided among the 485 likely voters surveyed. The automated telephone poll, released Sunday, has a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points.
SurveyUSA also asked about likely voters’ opinions in three other statewide races during the Nov. 2-4 poll:
In the lieutenant governor's race, Republican incumbent Andre Bauer has begun pulling away from Democratic nominee Robert Barber. Bauer was preferred by 55 percent of the respondents to Barber’s 42 percent.
In the treasurer's race, Republican Thomas Ravenel leads Democratic incumbent Grady Patterson, 54 percent to 44 percent.
In the education superintendent race, the tide was turning a bit as Republican Karen Floyd hung on to her lead over Democrat Jim Rex, 50 percent to 42 percent.
The margin of error in those three surveys is 4.6 percentage points.
The poll was conducted for WLTX-TV in Columbia and WCSC-TV in Charleston.

At 12:30PM today | Discuss the upcoming election with political writer Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Four top teachers endorse Rex

Four Columbia-area educators — each a former state Teacher of the Year — issued a letter today supporting Democrat Jim Rex in the state education superintendent race.

Rex campaign manager Zeke Stokes released the letter he said was endorsed by Traci Young-Cooper of Richland 1 and Christi McCollum, Linda "Cookie" Winburn and Dodie Rodgers, all of Richland 2.

"We ask that all teachers and supporters of our public schools show their support and join with us to elect Jim Rex," the women wrote. "As public educators we applaud Jim's views on accountability and his support of high standards for teachers, as well as students."

Taking a cue from the centerpiece of Rex's platform, the teachers noted the Democrat's opposition to private school vouchers or a tax credit plan "that takes resources away from our public schools."

Early in the campaign, Republican Karen Floyd voiced support for proposed legislation that would allow state government to help parents defray the cost of paying private school tuition. More recently, she has been less specific on what form that help should take.

While not naming Floyd, the teachers wrote: "There are many people who will tell you what is wrong with South Carolina's public schools. Jim Rex will remind us of the good that is there, while ensuring that continued success comes to every school, every district and every child in our state."

Giuliani stumping for S.C. GOP candidates

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani will join three Republican candidates in South Carolina today for a pair of events.

Giuliani, a potential GOP candidate for president in 2008, will be with incumbent Republican Gov. Mark Sanford and Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom, as well as treasurer candidate Thomas Ravenel, in Greenville and Columbia.

The Columbia event is from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Adluh Flour at 804 Gervais St., in the Vista. The quartet will be together from 4:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. at Bowater Amphitheater in Falls Park in Greenville. It’s at 615 South Main St.

Sanford, Eckstrom and Ravenel — minus Giuliani — will also make stops today in Charleston and Florence.

Moore campaigns on tour of state

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sen. Tommy Moore is continuing his tour of the state today.

Moore will meet with seniors and poll workers in Springfield, address a student-faculty assembly at Claflin College in Orangeburg, and make stops at Sumter High School and USC-Sumter.

Last campaign finance reports are filed

Democrats Emile DeFelice cq and Cheryl Footmancq have filed campaign finance forms electronically with the State Ethics Commission, the last statewide candidates to do so.

Both missed the deadline for a five-day grace period. Reports for the period were due Oct. 23 and cover the period July 1 through Oct. 18.

Footman, a candidate for Secretary of State, filed Sunday, reporting no fundraising activity in the period. She has raised and spent $7,655 in her run and reported no cash on hand.

Footman can be fined $100 for the late report, the commission said.

DeFelice, a candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture, filed Monday, reporting $65,000 raised in period. He reported a total of $96,751.50 raised and $63,757.12 spent. That left him with $32,994.38 cash on hand.

DeFelice will not be fined because of technical problems encountered by his accountant, the commission said.

Scott, Jones to square off in debate

Candidates in House District 77 will participate in a debate on Thursday, Nov. 2. The program will begin at 7 p.m.

Incumbent Democrat John L.Scott Jr., faces Republican Denise Jones in the contest.

The event will be held at the Blythewood Community Center, 311 Blythewood Road. The district covers much of northern Richland County, including Blythewood.

Sanford, Moore trade barbs over campaign cash

Incumbent Gov. Mark Sanford continued to assail his Democratic rival this morning for taking campaign cash from attorneys.

Sanford and his challenger, state Sen. Tommy Moore of Aiken County, met in a debate at Anderson University.

During a debate last night in Greenville, Moore attacked Sanford for being out of touch then blasted the Republican governor today for accepting campaign money from New York libertarians who Moore said "want to dismantle public education."

Both men said they could support an increase in the state's lowest-in-the-nation cigarette tax, although Sanford said it would have to be tied to a corresponding tax decrease. The candidates meet again Sunday in a debate at Coastal Carolina University.

Sanford-Moore debate to air on C-SPAN

Sunday night's gubernatorial debate from Coastal Carolina University will be re-broadcast Monday night on cable channel C-SPAN.

Incumbent Republican Gov. Mark Sanford and Democratic challenger Sen. Tommy Moore will face each other live on WPDE television in the Pee Dee. It will not be available live in the Midlands.

It is the third of five debates between the two candidates. C-SPAN is channel 65 on Time Warner Cable in Columbia.

Tonight's first gubernatorial debate will be online

While tonight's gubernatorial debate in Greenville can only be seen on television in the Upstate, those interested in seeing it can watch via the Internet.

WYFF-TV, which is hosting and airing the debate, will stream live video of the event from its Web site. To watch, go to www.wyff4.com/video/9244646/detail.html.

The live feed will begin at about 7:45 in advance of the 8 p.m. debate and will end shortly after 9 p.m., the station said.

It is the first of five debates between incumbent Republican Gov. Mark Sanford and the Democratic challenger, state Sen. Tommy Moore.

Fox News to air GOP debate

Fox News Channel will air the first presidential debate of the 2008 campaign live from the Koger Center in Columbia on May 15, the S.C. Republican Party announced Tuesday. The debate, in advance of the state’s 2008 GOP primary, is the first announced debate of the campaign.

The event will also be carried live on Fox News Radio.

The state Republican Party is expected to hold its presidential primary in early February 2008. It is expected to be the first such vote in the South. No candidate has lost the S.C. primary and still won the GOP nomination.

“The ‘first in the South’ presidential primary will again play a major role in electing our next president and it is very ap-propriate that the first in the nation Republican debate take place in South Carolina,” state party chairman Katon Dawson said in a prepared statement.

USC president Andrew Sorensen said the school is honored to host the debate on campus at the Koger Center.

Barber holding rally at home, near burned restaurant

Lieutenant governor candidate Robert Barber is hosting a campaign rally at his Bowens Island home, three doors down from his family's burned restaurant.

Barber's Bowens Island Restaurant was severely damaged in a suspected kitchen fire early Sunday.

The event is the first for Barber's campaign since the fire. It is set for 3:45 p.m.

After the rally, Barber is scheduled to resume campaigning. He is set to be in Bamberg County later Tuesday.

Barber outpaces incumbent Bauer in fundraising

Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Robert Barber out-raised his Republican opponent from July 1 through Oct. 18, according to campaign finance reports filed Monday. ;

Barber, of Charleston, raised more than $472,000 in the period, compared to $411,000 for incumbent Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer. But $100,000 of Barber's total was his own money.

Bauer, of Columbia, has more cash left on hand, however. He has more than $335,000 to Barber's $70,000.

McCain set to visit S.C.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is to be in Columbia later today and Tuesday at events for Republican candidates.

At 6 p.m. today, McCain will attend a reception at Willy's Cantina and Restaurant for incumbent Secretary of State Mark Hammond. Hammond faces Democrat Cheryl Footman on Nov. 7.

Tuesday, McCain will attend a luncheon for Rep. Jim Harrison of Columbia. The event begins at noon at the State Museum's Vista Room. Harrison faces Democrat Boyd Summers.

McCain is considered to be a front runner for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.

Moore's third ad hits airwaves

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tommy Moore has launched his third statewide television ad of the general election.

The spot, which began airing over the weekend, is about health care. In it, Moore takes credit for legislation extending health care benefits to lower-income children. Moore also attacks Republican incumbent Gov. Mark Sanford for votes Sanford took while in Congress and on Sanford's health care record while governor.

Bauer report lists $336,000 on hand for late push

Incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer has about $336,000 in cash on hand for the last few weeks of the general election campaign.

In a campaign finance report filed with the State Ethics Commission, released Monday morning, Bauer reported raising more than $400,000 since July 1, giving him a total raised of $1.45 million for both the primary and general election campaigns.

The amount on hand is as of Oct. 18.

Bauer was the first of the candidates for lieutenant governor or governor to file updated reports. Filings are due today to the commission.

Rex pledges financial review of education system

Jim Rex, the Democratic state schools superintendent nominee, took a fiscal-conservative tack Friday, pledging to spearhead a sweeping evaluation of how money for public schools is managed at all levels.

"We cannot afford the reforms we need unless we put our financial house in order," Rex said during a campaign swing through Spartanburg, hometown of Republican candidate Karen Floyd. "South Carolinians support their schools and want to be sure that they have the resources necessary to do the job."

If elected, Rex said he would order a review of financial management practices followed by the state, districts and schools with an eye toward heading off money problems. He said his goal is identifying "intervention measures where there is evidence of gross mismanagement" and getting the authority to intervene.

"We must demand that our elected leaders responsibly manage the tax dollars already under their control," he said.

Moore launches second statewide ad

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Tommy Moore has launched his second statewide ad.

It's a reworked version of a spot that began running in a few of the state's markets last week.

It features a woman who takes a break from knitting to question incumbent Republican Gov. Mark Sanford's claims of progress on job creation and education funding and says Sanford is like the "rooster, claiming credit for the sunrise."

Moore, a state senator from Aiken County, got up on the air last week with an ad questioning Sanford's record on paying for public schools. Sanford's campaign quickly fired back, calling the spot potentially libelous.

Dodd to attend Democratic fundraiser

U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut will be a guest of honor at a fundraiser for the S.C. Democratic Party on Oct. 27.

Dodd and Columbia's Don Fowler will be the headliners at the event at the party's headquarters on Hampton Street.

Fowler and Dodd were co-chairmen of the Democratic National Committee in the mid-1990s.

The cost to attend the event ranges from $50 to $1,000.

Dodd has visited the state during the past month as he contemplates a bid for president in 2008.

Poll: Sanford preferred by likely voters three weeks out

If the governor's election had been held last weekend, Republican Gov. Mark Sanford might have coasted to an easy victory, according to a SurveyUSA poll.

Sanford led Democratic state Sen. Tommy Moore 56 percent to 41 percent. The gap between Sanford and Moore appears to be widening as Election Day nears. A similar poll released Sept. 28 showed Sanford was preferred by 50 percent of respondents while Moore was the choice of 46 percent.

In the lieutenant governor's race, the latest poll shows Republican incumbent Andre Bauer in a statistical dead heat with Democratic nominee Robert Barber.

In the treasurer's race, Republican Thomas Ravenel leads Democratic incumbent Grady Patterson.

In the education superintendent race, Republican Karen Floyd has a wide lead over Democrat Jim Rex.

The telephone survey of 453 likely voters was conducted Oct. 14-16 for TV stations WLTX in Columbia and WCSC in Charleston and had a margin of error of 4.7 percentage points.

Handful of Democrats endorse Spears

A group of Democratic lawmakers and local officials were to gather at 11 a.m. today at the State House to endorse Republican Stan Spears for re-election as adjutant general.

The group includes state Sens. Yancey McGill of Williamsburg County and Joel Lourie of Richland County plus state Reps. Jimmy Bales of Richland, Eldridge Emory of Lancaster, Doug Jennings of Marlboro and James Smith of Richland.

Also on the list is Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, Eastover Mayor Chris Campbell and Richland County Councilman Tony Mizzell.

Spears faces Democrat Glenn Lindman in November.

Kerry in S.C. Friday to stump for Democrats

U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic nominee for president in 2004, will campaign for S.C. Democrats on Friday.

Kerry, of Massachusetts, will be in Charleston, Orangeburg and Beaufort. It's Kerry's second trip to the state to stump for Democrats this election cycle.

South Carolina was one of the only states that Kerry lost in the 2004 presidential primaries. At 9 a.m., Kerry will be with Randy Maatta, the party's nominee for the 1st District congressional seat now held by Republican Henry Brown.

At 10:45 a.m., Kerry will be at the S.C. State University Fine Arts Auditorium. At 8:15 p.m., Kerry will be in Beaufort County for a Harvest Moon Dinner.

No other details were immediately available and Democrats did not say whether any of the party's other candidates will appear with Kerry.

Sanford's camp to TV stations: Moore's ad false

Democratic gubernatorial challenger Tommy Moore on Tuesday accused his opponent of trying to censor TV ads targeting the Republican incumbent's record on education.

Gov. Mark Sanford's campaign manager Jason Miller sent a letter to television station managers on Monday telling them that Moore's first ad of the contest contains false and potentially libelous information.

The ad claims that Sanford cut education spending by $500 million. Sanford counters that money for K-12 has actually increased by $600 million during his tenure.

Miller said the letter is "strongly worded" but does not threaten legal action.

"It was important that we point out that we believe this leaves the stations open to legal action if they're airing these ads or planning to air them in the future," he said. According to a report on WIS-TV in Columbia, that threat is "hollow" since stations are protected from libel in these situations.

Moore's team said Tuesday that the Sanford campaign's letter is a "bizarre and brazen attempt to stifle discussion of his dismal record."

Spratt leads Norman in fundraising

U.S. Rep. John Spratt and challenger Ralph Norman, involved in perhaps the most competitive congressional race in South Carolina this fall, raised a combined $3.1 million through the end of September, according to campaign finance reports released Monday.

Spratt, a York County Democrat who has represented the 5th District since 1983, raised just more than $2 million and had $790,215 on hand. Norman, a GOP state House member from Rock Hill, raised $1.1 million and had $568,678 cash on hand.

Campaign records show that other congressional incumbents from South Carolina have raised substantial sums.

U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, a Democrat who represents the 6th District, had raised $949,307. U.S. Reps. Henry Brown of the 1st District had raised $706,808 and Bob Inglis of the 4th had $460,117. Both are Republicans. Up-to-date reports were not available for all candidates Monday.

Few Republican challengers have been able to stay close to Spratt in fundraising, and Norman's ability to raise enough money to air television ads in the Charlotte media market was viewed as an indicator of his competitiveness.

Spratt has spent three times as much on his campaign so far as Norman, and there are indications Republican strategists are less convinced their candidate can win. The GOP said in September it would spend $1 million on ads for Norman and two other candidates, but the National Journal reported last week the party has backed off that pledge.

"I'm not worried about that," said Norman, who added that he remains convinced he will defeat Spratt.

Radio ads target Gov. Sanford

The S.C. Democratic Party has produced a pair of radio ads targeting incumbent Republican Gov. Mark Sanford.

The spots are reminiscent of the famous "Bubba" television ads that were credited to help Democrat Jim Hodges unseat Republican Gov. David Beasley in 1998.

One radio spot features "Edna from Mississippi," who sarcastically thanks Sanford for driving down South Carolina’s educational system so that Mississippi might get out of last place in national rankings. The other ad features "Ray from Alabama," who thanks Sanford for failing to land Mercedes and Airbus plants, both of which ended up in Alabama.

In 1998, Hodges used "Bubba," an actor portraying a Georgia convenience store clerk, to criticize Beasley’s opposition to a state lottery.

S.C. Democratic Party director Patrick Norton said the party is not paying for air time to run the spots but is making them available to individual county parties to use.

Moore launches ad campaign

Democratic gubernatorial challenger Tommy Moore launched his first television spot of the campaign Thursday.
The ad, which began airing statewide shortly after 5 p.m., is half-biographical and half critical of incumbent Republican Gov. Mark Sanford.
Sanford has been running television spots almost non-stop since the June primaries.
The Moore ad, which comes less than four weeks before the Nov. 7 election, features the Aiken County state senator in a short-sleeved work shirt talking about his humble upbringings as the son of a mill worker.
It transforms halfway in into a attack on Sanford's record on education.
The Sanford campaign responded to the ad late Thursday.
"It's disappointing but not surprising that Tommy's first TV ad would be negative," Sanford campaign manager Jason Miller said.

Moore hits themes during flyaround

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tommy Moore launched a new campaign message Wednesday as he took off on a statewide tour.

Moore spoke early Wednesday from an airport in his home county of Aiken. He unveiled his "One South Carolina" plan that focused on three areas: economic development, health care and education.

Moore planned a flyaround Wednesday with stops in Greenville, Columbia, Florence and Charleston.

Moore faces Republican incumbent Gov. Mark Sanford in November.

Two new gubernatorial debates added

Two more televised debates have been added to the gubernatorial campaign.

Incumbent Republican Gov. Mark Sanford has agreed to debate Democratic challenger Tommy Moore from 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 29, from the campus of Coastal Carolina University in Conway.

The debate will be carried live by WPDE in the Pee Dee.

The two candidates have also agreed to an Oct. 26 debate at Anderson University at 10:30 a.m.

The decision ends a period of discontent between coastal leaders and the Sanford campaign. The president of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce had complained that Sanford had not agreed to a Grand Strand debate. Moore, a state senator from Aiken County, had earlier agreed to the debate.

The two candidates also will debate on Oct. 25 from Greenville, Oct. 30 on ETV and Nov. 1 on WIS- in Columbia.

Single filing deadline for campaign finances

Candidates on the ballot in November have until Monday, Oct. 23 to file campaign finance reports, but officials whose posts are not up for re-election this year must file by Tuesday.

The State Ethics Commission has combined the third-quarter filing and its pre-election filing. Candidates normally file campaign finance reports at the end of each quarter. The third quarter ended Oct. 1. But there is also a pre-election filing due no later than Oct. 23. Rather than have candidates file twice in a few weeks, the commission combined those filings.

The pre-election filing will cover all campaign money raised and spent between July 1 and Oct. 18. This applies to all candidates up for election in November, including statewide, S.C. House and local races.

Other elected officials, such as state senators, who are not up for election this year, must still file third-quarter reports no later than Tuesday. Those reports cover money raised and spent from July 1 through Sept. 30.

Sanford posts new TV ad

Incumbent Republican Gov. Mark Sanford launched a new television ad Friday morning.

The spot, titled “Future,” will air statewide, his campaign manager Jason Miller said.

The ad is posted along the rail to the right of this page.

McCain in S.C. on Friday

U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona will be in the Upstate on Friday.

McCain, considered one of the front-runners for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination, will attend a luncheon for agriculture commissioner candidate Hugh Weathers at 12:30 p.m. at Restaurant O in Greenville.

Later, McCain will attend a rally for military personnel and veterans at 5:30 p.m. at Duncan Park Veterans Memorial in Spartanburg.

AARP forum to feature Sanford, Moore, Barber

Three of the four candidates for governor and lieutenant governor will be at the Capital City Club at 7 tonight for an AARP South Carolina meet-and-greet event.

Republican incumbent Gov. Mark Sanford and his Democratic challenger, Sen. Tommy Moore, will be there, as will Democratic lieutenant governor challenger Robert Barber. Incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer had not committed to attend as of Wednesday evening, according to an AARP release on the event.

The reception will also allow members of the League of Women Voters and the NAACP to speak with the candidates. And each candidate will be allowed to address the audience.

The Capital City Club is on the 25th floor of Capitol Center at 1201 Main St.

AARP South Carolina will host a meet and greet with the candidates running for Governor and Lt. Governor. Members of the League of Women Voters and the NAACP will join more than 100 AARP members and volunteers from across the state at the event.

McConnell joins McCain effort

S.C. Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, has joined U.S. Sen. John McCain’s team.

McConnell, arguably the most powerful member of the state Senate, has signed on to help direct the work of Straight Talk America, the political action committee of McCain, R-Ariz.

McCain is widely considered to be a front-runner for the 2008 GOP presidential nominee. He has been lining up the support of many of South Carolina’s top Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Patterson critical of Folks hiring

State Treasurer Grady Patterson has criticized a decision by opponent Thomas Ravenel to hire a political consultant who pleaded guilty to criminal domestic violence.

Last week, Ravenel announced he had hired Will Folks, a consultant, blogger and former spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford, as a consultant. In 2005, Folks plead guilty to charges he pushed his then-fiancee during an argument.

"It is a slap in the face of every woman in this state, every victim of domestic violence, for my opponent to employ an individual who pled guilty to this crime," Patterson said.

Ravenel defended the decision last week, saying "In politics you have to deal with some unsavory characters." Ravenel’s consultant, Rod Shealy, said he hired Folks to counteract Democrat attacks.

Law enforcement backs Moore

Public safety officers from across the state gathered in Columbia on Friday to support Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tommy Moore.

“Public safety is a top priority,” said Moore, a state senator from Aiken who is challenging incumbent Republican Mark Sanford. “As governor, I will create and support legislation that will support the courageous men and women who put their lives on the line every day.”

Not among those gathered at Seawell’s restaurant for lunch was Lexington County Sheriff Jimmy Metts. Metts said Friday he is not endorsing or publicly supporting Moore or Sanford.

A brief in Friday’s Metro section of The State reported that Moore’s campaign said Metts would join other law en-forcement officers to support Moore. But Metts, who did not attend a planned Friday luncheon for Moore, said the Aiken senator’s campaign used his name without his consent.

In attendance Friday were Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, a Democrat, and Lexington County Solicitor Donnie Myers, a Republican, among others.

McCain group adds key names to S.C. support

Two sons of legendary South Carolina politicians have signed to support U.S. Sen. John McCain’s potential bid for president.

Strom Thurmond Jr. and Carroll Campbell III have joined the Arizona Republican’s political action committee, Straight Talk America.

Thurmond’s father, the late U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, and Campell’s father, the late Gov. Carroll Campbell, both supported George W. Bush in 2000. Bush, who went on to become president, defeated McCain in a pivotal South Carolina Republican primary.

Thurmond and Campbell join other prominent state Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, Attorney General Henry McMaster and state Sen. John Courson on McCain’s team.

Moore outlines rural goals

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tommy Moore called Wednesday for the creation of a rural infrastructure bank to help South Carolina’s struggling counties.

Moore, a state senator from Aiken County, told the Capital Rotary Club in Columbia that helping rural counties with development.

"Our rural counties are in deep trouble," Moore said.

An infrastructure bank, modeled after the existing state transportation bank, would pool state dollars for large projects aimed at creating infrastructure in rural counties. Roads, water and sewer service, high-speed Internet access and fiber optic phone lines will help attract industry to these counties, many of which have the state’s highest unemployment rates.

Moore also said:

He supports an increase in the state’s lowest-in-the-nation cigarette tax to help pay for Medicaid.

He is not averse to "reform, I am not afraid of innovation or flexibility" in public schools, but said state government has only fully funded public education one out of the past three years. That has to change, he said.

Poll shows Sanford approval climbing

A new poll shows incumbent Republican Gov. Mark Sanford’s approval ratings are growing.

The S.C. Index poll shows that 66 percent of S.C. voters give Sanford a favorable rating. That’s up 11 percent in one year, and is higher than President Bush’s 57 percent favorable rating. But Bush scores better in the state among Republicans, getting 93 percent favorable compared to 89 percent for Sanford.

The S.C. Index is a joint project of three Democratic polling and consulting firms: Campaign Systems, Crantford & Associates, and the Southern Political Information Network (SPIN). 

The poll sampled 300 active S.C. voters on Sept. 16 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.5 percent.

The poll also showed incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer trailing Democratic challenger Robert Barber 37 percent to 34 percent in a head-to-head matchup.

Moore campaigns in Upstate

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tommy Moore will be in the Upstate today, meeting with two newspapers’ editorial boards and with families affected by plant closings in Seneca. Wednesday finds Moore at a Columbia rotary club meeting and in Charleston for events with supporters.

On Thursday Moore returns to the Upstate, with lunch in Spartanburg, a visit to a vocational rehab center and meet-ings with teachers in Woodruff, followed by a rally in Spartanburg.

Smith endorses Moore

Former state Sen. Verne Smith, R-Greenville, has endorsed Sen. Tommy Moore, D-Aiken, for governor over fellow Republican, incumbent Gov. Mark Sanford.

Smith is an iconic Upstate lawmaker who delivered the Senate to the GOP by switching parties in 2000. He retired this year after more than 30 years in the General Assembly.

The Greenville News reported Smith’s endorsement this week. Smith and former Democratic Gov. Dick Riley have filmed a television commercial with Moore, the paper said.

Sanford speaks to black mayors group

Gov. Mark Sanford told the South Carolina Conference of Black Mayors on Thursday that if he's re-elected in November he'll focus his second term on restructuring state government -- an effort, he said, that could pay dividends for struggling rural communities.

Sanford, a Republican, received applause from the group of about 30 gathered in a ballroom at the Marriott hotel in downtown Columbia. Three or four stood to clap.

Sanford, who faces Democratic state Sen. Tommy Moore in November, said the problem the state's rural areas faces is one of power. The state's urban areas are where the population base is, and that means that is where the votes are in the State House, he said.

That raises the question: "If you've got yours and you've got the votes, where does that put rural South Carolina?" Sanford said.

His remarks did not lay out specific plans to help rural areas, which historically struggle with higher unemployment and lower incomes than the state's urban cores.

AP: Spratt challenger Norman buys TV ads in Charlotte, NC, market

By SEANNA ADCOX
Associated Press Writer

ROCK HILL — Ralph Norman, the Republican candidate challenging Rep. John Spratt in South Carolina's 5th Congressional District, has bought ad time in the expensive Charlotte, N.C., television market.

The district runs along the North Carolina state line from Cherokee County to Dillon County.

Spratt has held the seat continuously since he was first elected in 1982 and is the senior member of South Carolina's congressional delegation. He is one of only two Democrats in the delegation and has been targeted by the GOP.

However, Norman does not mention Spratt in his ad.

The ad was to begin airing Tuesday and will continue for at least a week. It focuses on Norman and his pledge to deny amnesty to illegal immigrants if he's elected, saying: "In Congress, I'll reject amnesty and instead fight to control our borders."

The ad shows images from an immigration rally and a border patrol agent patting down a Hispanic person. It also shows Norman reading to his grandchildren. Norman's campaign spokesman, Rob Godfrey, said the ad reflects the candidate's positive message.

Norman is currently a state lawmaker from Rock Hill.

Godfrey refused to say how much the campaign is spending to run the 30-second ad on Charlotte TV stations.

Staton concedes education race to Floyd

Bob Staton dropped out of the GOP race for superintendent of education this afternoon, conceding any possible runoff to Karen Floyd of Spartanburg.

It is not clear whether a runoff would be on the ballot. Floyd garnered about 1,200 more votes Tuesday than the required 50 percent threshold, according to unofficial returns. The results will be certified by the State Election Commission on Saturday.

Staton, a Columbia businessman who has been active in public school accountability efforts, got 35 percent of the vote, or about 40,000 less than Floyd, on Tuesday.

Earlier today, Sen. Greg Ryberg, R-Aiken, said he would not participate in a runoff with Thomas Ravenel of Charleston. Like the education race, Ravenel was at about 50 percent. Ryberg trailed at about 26 percent of the vote.