On behalf of his Liber-TEA political advocacy organization, FITS founding editor Will Folks had the opportunity to attend a fundraiser in Bluffton, S.C. this week for State Sen. Tom Davis – one of a handful of genuine pro-taxpayer, pro-free market lawmakers in the S.C. General Assembly.
Davis’ event was impressive. More than 300 people showed up and he raised an estimated $120,000. That’s a solid outing for a statewide official – let alone a lowly State Senator.
Anyway Davis’ event was a popular destination for aspiring politicians looking to “crowdjack” – a.k.a. crash a party held for another elected official in an effort to boost one’s own political stock.
Pressing the flesh at Davis’ event? Former FITS co-owner Nancy Mace – one of three GOP candidates challenging Lindsey Graham in next summer’s U.S. Senate primary election. In fact you can see Mace in the background of this picture taken by photographer Delayna Early of The (Hilton Head, S.C.) Island Packet.
How did Mace do?
Reviews were mixed …
“She needs to learn how to work a room,” one national GOP consultant who attended Davis’ fundraiser told FITS. “I watched her discussing federal education issues with one attendee – which is all well and good – but when I circled back around ten minutes later she was still discussing the same issue with the same person.”
The consultant said political candidates have to be much faster than that with their interactions – especially in rooms with several hundred people.
Meanwhile a state Republican operative who attended the event told us Mace was missing “high value targets” in the room and spending most of her time “talking to the tin foil hats,” a reference to local Tea Party activists.
Hmmmm …
Obviously there’s a couple ways to look at those criticisms. The best construction for Mace? That she’s a genuinely good person who is interested in the issues that matter to ordinary people – and who isn’t looking over their shoulders in search of someone “more important” to engage in conversation.
The worst construction? That Mace is an experienced candidate who has yet to figure out the ropes of a statewide campaign (this is her first bid for elected office, remember).
Personally we give Mace points for showing up. She recognized this was a big event in a heavily Republican, high-turnout region of the state and she planted her flag … unlike S.C. Sen. Lee Bright or Upstate social conservative Richard Cash.
The rest of it? She’s learning …
Despite our prior business association with Mace (and the excellent marketing work she did for us), we’ve been critical of her at several stages of this campaign – both ideologically and strategically. Why? Because we believe she has tremendous potential as a candidate – and we want to see her realize that potential.
Sooner rather than later, hopefully …
11 comments
I was going to make an edjookayshun joke about her terrible grammar, but now I just feel bad for her. This is getting sad, but not Palin-at-least-made-millions sad. She’s obviously not a politician in any sense of the word and she’s going to be crushed. The FITS thing hasn’t even been utilized yet, and I hope for her sake, it won’t need to be.
I like Graham, but I like a good SC political throw-down. This isn’t shaping up to be a fight at all.
MACE is a rotten little spoiled gal.
Who help ruin The Citadel and now wants to help Haley finish off South Carolina.
A vote for Mace is like a vote for Haley.
Yep, and why is Sic Willie giving Mace points for trying to piggy-back off of someone else’s fundraiser? It only shows that she can’t raise money on her own. Lame and desperate. Davis should have shown her the door.
“The worst construction? That Mace is an experienced candidate who has yet to figure out the ropes of a statewide campaign (this is her first bid for elected office, remember).”
Perhaps you meant for this to read “…an inexperienced candidate”?
If she keeps on going like this, we’re stuck with Bright vs. Graham. Wonderful.
Anybody but Ms. Lindsey.
Whatever, anything is better than Linda Gayham
Wait – you said in that other article comparing Davis’ fundraising to Haley’s that Davis wasn’t accepting PAC money. If so, then why were you at that fundraiser “on behalf of your Liber-TEA PAC?”
Did she ask Tom Davis any questions while she was there..??
Ms.Mace reminds our Funding Editor of “Kombat” Katherine “Sweet Toes” Jenerette.
In a few months voters will be saying,”Nancy who?”
Tea-Buggers. Quacks. Quack-os.
Nancy who?
Tea-bugger quacks.