THIS IS AN ODD WAY TO PICK UP VOTES …
As our readers are well aware, we declined to issue an endorsement during the contested “Republican” primary for the South Carolina fifth congressional district.
“This website tries, wherever possible, to pick worthy candidates to endorse in high-profile elections (and a few low-profile ones),” we noted at the time. “It’s getting harder and harder to do that, though. In the upcoming special election for the Palmetto State’s fifth congressional district, it’s impossible.”
Same thing goes for the “Republican” runoff for this seat – which features a pair of big gubmint tax-and-spenders whose voting records during their respective tenures in the S.C. House of Representatives has left lots to be desired.
S.C. speaker pro tempore Tommy Pope and Ralph Norman have been equally bad for taxpayers during their legislative careers – although one staunch fiscal conservative voter in the “Fightin’ Fifth” told us the choice between the two is a no-brainer.
Who is he supporting? Pope.
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“I see both runoff candidates as roughly equal in their beliefs – tax and spenders,” Brian Frank of Gaffney, S.C. told us. “But if Tommy Pope were to win the seat, that would open up another spot in the State House, eliminating one (member) of the leadership. Ralph Norman already resigned – bringing in another newbie. Conservatives and liberty-minded folks need to make the best of these musical chairs. So, because of this, I support Tommy Pope and you should too on May 16th!”
Interesting …
Frank voted for libertarian-leaning GOP attorney Kris Wampler in the May 2 primary election for this seat, which was vacated back in February by new White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Mick Mulvaney.
Frank is saying Pope should be elected to Congress because his victory would clear out a seat (and a GOP leadership position) in the S.C. General Assembly – giving conservatives a chance to gain some ground.
Do we think that will actually happen? Eh …
If there’s one thing we’ve learned covering Palmetto politics for the past ten years it’s that the “new boss” is rarely any different than the “old boss.” No matter what they say.
Still, Frank’s perspective on the race is interesting … and assuming others reach a similar conclusion, it could move the needle modestly in what is expected to be a tight race.
Pope and Norman finished in a dead heat in last week’s first round of voting – with Pope collecting 11,943 votes (30.41 percent) and Norman drawing 11,808 votes (30.07 percent). Because neither candidate was able to eclipse the fifty percent mark, they get to slug it out for two more weeks in the “Fightin’ Fifth” – a district that saw a monumental Trump surge last fall.
The winner advance to the June 20 special election against Republican … err, “Democrat” Archie Parnell, a tax attorney from Sumter, S.C. Several third party candidates will also appear on that ballot.
Banner via Travis Bell Photography