2014 GENERAL ELECTION BATTLE IS ALREADY UNDERWAY
Former lawmaker and circuit court judge Tom Ervin – who brands himself as an “independent Republican” – has launched the first television ad of his petition candidacy for governor of South Carolina. And while the thirty-second spot doesn’t mention incumbent “Republican” Nikki Haley by name, it takes direct aim at two of her administration’s most high-profile scandals – as well as her chronic inability to tell the truth.
“It’s time for a governor with some guts, to tell the truth to the people,” Ervin says at the outset of his introductory spot, entitled “Meet Tom Ervin.”
The ad’s narrator then invokes Haley’s #SCHacked scandal – a massive security breach at the S.C. Department of Revenue in which 3.8 million Social Security numbers, 3.3 million bank account numbers, tax info for more than 650,000 businesses and nearly 400,000 credit and debit card numbers were coughed up to as-yet-unidentified hackers.
“Your personal financial records have been stolen,” the ad’s narrator states.
Haley initially claimed that “there wasn’t anything where anyone in state government could have done anything” to stop the breach – and that the Palmetto State used “industry standard” data security methods.
Both of those claims turned out to be completely false.
Ervin’s ad also makes reference to the ongoing scandals at Haley’s S.C. Department of Social Services (SCDSS) – including the tragic incompetence that led to the death of four-year-old Robert Guilyard, Jr.
“State Department of Social Services turn their backs on abused children,” the ad states.
We called on Haley to fire Koller in the aftermath of that tragedy – not just because there was actual blood on her hands, but because the Guilyard tragedy was the latest in a long line of examples of her unfitness for office.
(For a recent report detailing one of the major scandals facing her agency, CLICK HERE).
Despite this abysmal record, Haley has refused to fire Koller.
Ervin’s ad vows to “end this incompetence,” and push an agenda of infrastructure reform, tax relief, expanded parental choice and term limits.
“I want to be the governor that puts South Carolina first and leave the national politics and games to the others,” he says.
Here’s the spot …
(Click to play)
It’s not immediately clear how much money Ervin is spending on the ad, but he’s already pumped more than $400,000 into his nascent bid and we’re told his total investment in the race could top $5 million by November (not counting any money he’s able to raise).
If Ervin uses that cash to reinforce Haley’s record of failure – while staking out some substantive policy ground to her right – he could create real problems for the incumbent in the general election.
In addition to Haley and Ervin, Democrats have nominated State Senator Vincent Sheheen (their 2010 nominee) for another run this year.
The Libertarian Party also has a candidate on the ballot for the first time since 1998 – Lowcountry businessman Steve French.
62 comments
The FITS Liberal-Tarians STOLE Virginia, for the failed, Obam-ite democrats…
S.C. is smarter than to let this liberal take our state, for the democrats…which is what he, and FITS, want.
The only people who “stole” Virginia from the GOP were the dumbasses that propped up that looney tune candidate the GOP ran.
Are you going to blame Democrats for every one of your party’s failures? Of course you are. Carry on.
I’m blaming Liberal-Tarians, because they are to blame. you ignorant F*#k…
Liberal-Tarians KNOW they have no chance to win..but there are enough Mal-Contents, who have been convinced that it’s Smart to Hate everything, because they are too stupid to see they are being manipulated. Liberal-Tarians herd these idiots into their party of Dope-smokers, Ho’ Chasers and wanna-be rebels…to screw it up for the freedom loving…
GT, maybe we can get you signed up for anger management.
Why don’t you just go ahead and type FUCK, fuckhead. You don’t have to censor yourself here. Fucking dumbass cracker.
Seeing your simple liberal mind, $#!* all over yourself about it …NEVER…LMAO…
Moron.Any candidate that supports the Constitution,traditional marriage,protecting the unborn and expresses a love of country and strong national defense is a lunatic toooo a American hating, OWS type like you.
Continue took cheer for your Muslim president as he seeks took destroy this country, one institution at a time however be informed commie that help is on the way.
“Takes aim.”
I’m sorry, but running as an independent is hardly “taking aim” at anyone, except for maybe yourself. (Yes, yes, I know, Strom Thurmond, but SC in the 50’s is nothing like SC now.)
GG Haley, enjoy your next four years. We won’t. (GG to Graham too, except he gets six years and can run yet again after that.)
His only hope would have been to stay in the primary, end even then, his chances were slim. Running as an independent is just a waste of money.
Not a waste of money if it helps to expose the fraud of a governor to audiences beyond SC. Some of the campaign may be covered in the national news.
Strom never ran as a independent, he ran as a write-in in the Democratic primary.
CNN – Adding intrigue to Ervin’s candidacy is the behind-the-curtain presence of Republican consultant John Weaver, the mercurial former John McCain and Jon Huntsman strategist who is consulting on the campaign.
Weaver, a screwdriver-sipping Texan who tweets prolifically about the San Antonio Spurs, has never been shy about sticking his finger in the eye of his fellow Republicans.
After McCain lost his bid for the presidency in 2000, Weaver briefly dabbled in Democratic politics and feuded with Karl Rove during the Bush years. During the Huntsman campaign, he called Republicans “a bunch of cranks” in the pages of Esquire. Ervin’s campaign is not the first time he’s worked against the GOP on a governor’s race: In 2010, he advised the ill-fated candidacy of Tim Cahill, a Democrat-turned-independent candidate for Massachusetts governor.
Full story: supports gas tax, friend of John Rainey ‘ brother, behind the scene trial lawyer support.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/22/politics/ervin-south-carolina-governor/?c=&page=1
Sounds like a political Ho…to me…
Hopefully the people are figuring out how dangerous these selfish, self-serving B@$*@*ds are to freedom…
They are the reason we have such a poor excuse as Obama for president…
Yes indeed.Another RINO loser.A quiter.
No other reason to run as independent, than to be a spoiler to get Sheheen elected.
Actually, I see him more as a spoiler for Haley. As with the numerous mayoral races in Columbia where people tried to unseat Bob Coble and the malfeasance and corruption that were hallmarks of his administration, when you have a hated incumbent that needs to be unseated, you usually have to main factions of voters; those who want to get rid of the incumbent and those who want to keep the incumbent.
When you split the vote for those wanting to get rid of the incumbent two or more ways, you usually guarantee that the incumbent gets another term. If Haley is smart, she will be contributing to Tom’s campaign.
Multiple opponents kept Coble fat and happy for twentysomething years.
No one of substance ran against Coble most years. He always won handily. You seem to indicate Coble won by a plurality over a split field. He did not.
Don’t forget the collapse of SCDEW under Abe Turner!
Don’t forget her ILLEGAL destruction of Government emails. This is a dismissal offense for any State Employee!
Don’t forget her lies on income tax returns.
Don’t forget her lies on the application at Lexington Medical Center!
Don’t forget her lies on funds received from Wilbur Smith.
Don’t forget her lies about her trip to China with ark Sanford.
Don’t forget her lies about using staff cell phones.
Don’t forget her replacing Darla Moore on USC BD.
Don’t forget her replacing the ENTIRE DHEC BD for a fund raising event in and prime speaking spot at the Republican convention (SC ports sellout).
The woman has been a total failure from day one!
Obama+Ohaley= OCRAP!
A Haley second term will be a DISASTER!!!!!
The video sez…..
“Tom Ervin has a plan to fix our crumbling roads, lower taxes, give education choices to parent, term limits on politicians.”
Here is Tom Ervin’s website: http://www.trustintom.com/
Where’s the plan?
Tom should do a little digging on her family’s “business”…that should be very enlightening. And what about all that money missing from the temple?
Wow: That’s the first I’ve ever heard of that on this site…you Ignorant Dumb@$$….
Is that you, Simran?
Where is Katon Dawson’s Haley PAC? I hear Katon cant raise money. I hear Katon has lived well off the expenses of the Haley PAC, soaking all the money. Hmm, hey Katon, got money?
I heard Katon had raised almost nothing and then spent that on his daughter’s wedding. Anyone know if that is true?
You have to laugh at the attempt to label himself an “Independent Republican”.
So the Republican brand is something we rightfully wants to distance himself from, yet he still wants to try to get a few dummies that look for the “R” to vote for him.
Funny shit, but still shit.
*he rightfully
Sad thing about this all is that he gave up thousands of votes statewide, from the dummies who habitually push the “R” button for a straight party vote. All he is doing by running as an Independent is splitting the anti-Haley vote, guaranteeing her another very undeserved four years in office. Thanks, Tom.
:-(
If he ran in the GOP primary against Haley, there would be no ‘straight party’ lever to pull. Obviously he would have to beat her there in order to go forward to the general.
The party organization would have been in her corner too. They probably would have pulled some ballot mixup bullshit at the last minute, if he did actually threaten to beat her in the primary.
True. There is that. I just hate how his current actions will guarantee her another undeserved four years to wreak havoc on our state.
To be fair, Sheheen probably wouldn’t have won anyways.
Excellent.How about Independent RINO OR Independent Colbert-Busch-League Light OR Spoiler for Sh#theen OR Independent Quiter?Swervin Ervin?
To this day I don’t understand why someone hasn’t done the math on her tax returns when she and Michael bought a $350K+ house in Governor’s Grant while claiming less than $50K in income.
1) Families save money for years to fulfill their personal dreams…It’s none of your F*#k!ng business how they pay for them…
2) Keep your F*#king Government Gestapo out of my Finances, you Communist Piece of $#!*…
3) Obama so F*#ked up the economy, that $350K house could be bought for $199K….
Is that you, Simran?
They bought the house before Obama was elected.
Can whoever holds the living will on GT, Please pull the plug!
He is obviously brain dead!
As many suspect, it’s probably just Will using a different account. You increase viewership if you have a permanent pot stirrer.
don’t say that, i will be superpissed
give me address?
I wonder how this man’s candidacy changes Haley and Sheheen’s prospects. Myself, I support Sheheen.
If Erwin actually spends $5mm, or for that matter, $2mm, he will either win or cause Sheheen to win.
The RGA would not be spending multiple rounds of funds on Haley this early, if she weren’t potentially going to lose.
God, I hope ou are right about that!
lol!! Not a clue.You used the same failed reasoning for socialist Colbert-Busch and she got routed.
You lied last night and said John Kasich was behind in Ohio.He is up 10 points and has a 5-1 spending advantage.
I guess you can’t read. i posted a poll showing the Ohio race TIED. The same pollster showed Colbert-Busch leading several weeks before the election, but losing to Sanford the weekend before the race. They were right, and were the only pollster with the balls to do a poll for a special election, which are notoriously difficult to poll accurately.
You predicted for months that Obama couldn’t possibly win a second term, GT, so you have no room to talk.
huh?Liar and I ain’t ‘GT’ although I am a fan.Ain’t a POLL in America,Russia or Uranus that has Kasich tied unless it was commisioned by you ,Smjerks , Stephen Colbert and SCBlowhard!
I posted the link dumbass. Just because you ignore facts that don’t fit your narrative, does make make them false. I guess you don’t remember how Kasich got bitch slapped by the voters on his anti-union initiative either.
Liar.Could not have been a link cause your claim was false!
And another thing punk.It is against the law in Ohio toooo make false statements about political candidates.Jail and fines.Supreme Court is hearing a case challeging the law at this time however it is still the law at this time.Kinda like Obamacare.Law is wrong however if you don’t have insurance or pay the fine you will go tooooo jail.
I don’t want you tooooo go tooooo jail for telling lies about Ohio politicians so please post facts like I do. :-)
The tide continues to turn in the Florida governor’s race, as a new poll confirms former Gov. Charlie Crist is losing favor with Florida voters.
Gov. Rick Scott has now surpassed Crist, as the former governor continues his downward slide, according to a poll conducted by the most accurate pollster in the 2010 Florida gubernatorial contest.
Just tooo correct another falsehood you spewed on a thread last night!
Geez.Trying toooo correct all the lies you libs/socialists/RINO’s tell is becoming a full time job! :-)
Actually I just saw polling numbers today that have Crist up 5% over Scott-atar and Christ up 15%.
Please vote for Nimrata. We don’t want that family back in Lexington.
I know Tom very well and like many of us Conservatives cannot stomach, any longer, the damage Haley is doing to this State and it’s future!
I made the mistake of voting for Haley once; and believe me, once is more than enough!
I will not make the same mistake again.
She is a liar and a fraud! I worked there for a while and can attest to her lying, incompetence first hand!
She must make her children proud.
OK Boz.
“If you’re going to shoot, shoot – don’t talk” – Tuco
How will the debates pan out? Two Republicans and one Democrat? One Republican, one Independent, and one Democrat? If you include Independent Ervin, then you must include the Libertarian’s French and the United Citizens’ Morgan Reeves.
Also, Ervin’s Statement of Economic Interest only shows his income as a 59k SCRS pension. Hardly indicative of his real economic interests.
Also, since when does the SC Ethics Commission make known a candidate’s instate contributors only by zip code? Does one have to enter each zip code to find out contributions from that zip code? WTF
Nikki is for Nikki, plain and simple.
No matter what Haleys staffers are always trolling her to defend her sorry ass.
Ya drunk again and smoking that dope? Your own brother calls you an alcoholic communist. Get your shit together. You are embarrassing all of us and disgracing the ‘name’!
You need help , I got it. Call me.
Kathryn Williams would be an upgrade as a “First Spouse”.
I am in no way a Republican, but I am liking this campaign so far. Haley is a train wreck. Why usn’t Sheheen doing this?