Yesterday, we reported on Upstate radio host Josh Kimbrell kicking off the ad wars in the race for South Carolina’s fourth congressional district (map). That’s the monolithic “Republican” stronghold in Greenville and Spartanburg counties – where thirteen GOP hopefuls are seeking a congressional seat that’s being vacated by U.S. congressman Trey Gowdy.
Kimbrell is one of the early frontrunners in this race. So is state senator William Timmons, one of his most bitter rivals (Timmons was in the S.C. thirteenth solicitor’s office when Kimbrell was dealing with this saga).
To put it bluntly: These two men don’t like each other … at all. So it’s interesting these two antagonists are the first candidates to launch their television campaigns in this race – one of the most crowed “Republican” contests on the ballot this spring.
Timmons first spot – “Conservative Principles” – is a solid effort. Filmed in and around Greenville, it touts Timmons career as a businessman, former prosecutor and supporter of U.S. president Donald Trump.
“As your next congressman, I’ll take the lead and fight for you and our conservative principles,” Timmons says in a voiceover that opens the ad. “That’s why I support term limits, President Trump’s plan to build the wall, and cutting out of control spending.”
Trump, eh?
Kimbrell’s spot also referenced his support for the “Trump agenda.” And our guess is several of the other candidates seeking this office will also play the “Trump card.”
Hell, one of the thirteen (James Epley) was Trump’s Upstate field representative during the 2016 campaign and another (Mark Burns) was a key member of the president’s faith-based outreach team.
So we might as well call this race #Trumpalooza (or #Trumpapalooza, to be precise).
Anyway, here’s Timmons’ spot …
(Click to view)
https://www.facebook.com/votetimmons/videos/1522367317873546/
(Via: Provided)
According to Timmons’ executive campaign director Joshua Goodwin, the ad buy for Timmons’ inaugural spot is “significant.”
Not only that, Goodwin said the first-term state lawmaker will sustain his presence on television – and talk radio – through the June 12 primary date.
“He will be up on cable, satellite and broadcast (television) through the primary,” Goodwin told us. “(He) started radio earlier this week and will be up on radio through the primary as well.”
That’s some serious firepower … and proof that Timmons wasn’t kidding around when he said he was going to throw as much as $500,000 of his own money into this race.
Such an investment should ensure that Timmons (assuming he can avoid unforced errors) remains one of the favorites to claim this seat.
GOP voters head to the polls across South Carolina on June 12. In races where no candidate receives a majority of the ballots cast, runoff elections between the top two vote-getters will be held on June 26. With so many candidates seeking this seat, a runoff election is all but inevitable – and given the overwhelming “Republican” lean of the fourth district, that runoff election will ultimately determine who replaces Gowdy.
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