The knives come out in Beaufort County
The day after Halloween, the Blogland brings you rumored tales of revenge and eerie whispers of scores to settle ...
This year’s chain-reaction special elections in Beaufort County in which Catherine Ceips won her bid to replace former Senator Scott Richardson, and then Shannon Erickson filled Ceips’ House seat were unusual, especially with a total of five legislative special elections in the Lowcountry and Midlands.
No sooner than the dust has settled from the Beaufort special elections do our loyal supporters report that knives are already being sharpened anew for what may be an all-out political war across Beaufort County in next spring’s GOP primaries.
Sources close to the Blogland report that several people are considering running against Senator Ceips, including:
This year’s chain-reaction special elections in Beaufort County in which Catherine Ceips won her bid to replace former Senator Scott Richardson, and then Shannon Erickson filled Ceips’ House seat were unusual, especially with a total of five legislative special elections in the Lowcountry and Midlands.No sooner than the dust has settled from the Beaufort special elections do our loyal supporters report that knives are already being sharpened anew for what may be an all-out political war across Beaufort County in next spring’s GOP primaries.
Sources close to the Blogland report that several people are considering running against Senator Ceips, including:
- Tom Davis, Governor Sanford’s Chief of Staff,
- Weston Newton, who lost in a close GOP run-off for the Senate to Ceips in the spring, and
- Tom Taylor, who ran a strong third place in the special GOP primary.
To add to this, some Hilton Head politicos are reportedly working to find another challenger, even though it's hard to imagine where a fifth candidate could fit into a race like this.
If Davis gets in, with the support of the Governor’s political allies, as well as Newtown and Taylor, this race could get red-hot and quick. If others join the fray, even more so. While Ceips is a tenacious campaigner and aggressive with constituent relations, facing two or more opponents will be a heck of a fight.
There are also reports of a pending rematch between Representative Chalk and former County Council member Starletta Hairston. Given Chalk’s abysmal fundraising and poor showing in his special Senate GOP primary bid last spring, this race could be one to watch. For Ceips, having Chalk, who supported her in the GOP run-off, tied up in his own re-election battle can’t help her own re-election bid ... which might be one reason why this is happening.
Meanwhile, Representative Erickson’s district, Ceips’ former turf, is relatively quiet, with her having just won over two token write-in efforts, including by Bates supporters. Her political honeymoon may give her a free ride in the spring, but time will tell on this one.
Reports claim that some of Erickson's supporters haven’t forgiven Ceips’ support of Randy Bates against Erickson. It's easy to understand that the unsanctioned write-in campaign launched by Bates' supporters hasn't helped heal those wounds.
Given that Erickson represents many of the areas which were key to Ceips’ run-off victory, those disgruntled Erickson supporters could inflict serious damage upon Ceips’ re-election prospects. If Erickson runs unopposed in the spring, but Ceips has opposition, it's hard to imagine them missing out on a chance to settle scores.
While some of her supporters may be sharpening the blades, Erickson herself indicated that her and Ceips were going to work together and put the race behind them, and every indication we have received points to the both of them working to co-exist peacefully. We take Erickson at her word, and suspect that both of these ladies will be too busy getting re-elected to worry about the other.
One can certainly ask if this points to a county-wide shoot-out between Ceips’ supporters and her opponents. With four months to go before filing begins, it will be interesting to see what happens in the spring.
Stay tuned, this could get interesting …
If Davis gets in, with the support of the Governor’s political allies, as well as Newtown and Taylor, this race could get red-hot and quick. If others join the fray, even more so. While Ceips is a tenacious campaigner and aggressive with constituent relations, facing two or more opponents will be a heck of a fight.
There are also reports of a pending rematch between Representative Chalk and former County Council member Starletta Hairston. Given Chalk’s abysmal fundraising and poor showing in his special Senate GOP primary bid last spring, this race could be one to watch. For Ceips, having Chalk, who supported her in the GOP run-off, tied up in his own re-election battle can’t help her own re-election bid ... which might be one reason why this is happening.
Meanwhile, Representative Erickson’s district, Ceips’ former turf, is relatively quiet, with her having just won over two token write-in efforts, including by Bates supporters. Her political honeymoon may give her a free ride in the spring, but time will tell on this one.
Reports claim that some of Erickson's supporters haven’t forgiven Ceips’ support of Randy Bates against Erickson. It's easy to understand that the unsanctioned write-in campaign launched by Bates' supporters hasn't helped heal those wounds.
Given that Erickson represents many of the areas which were key to Ceips’ run-off victory, those disgruntled Erickson supporters could inflict serious damage upon Ceips’ re-election prospects. If Erickson runs unopposed in the spring, but Ceips has opposition, it's hard to imagine them missing out on a chance to settle scores.
While some of her supporters may be sharpening the blades, Erickson herself indicated that her and Ceips were going to work together and put the race behind them, and every indication we have received points to the both of them working to co-exist peacefully. We take Erickson at her word, and suspect that both of these ladies will be too busy getting re-elected to worry about the other.
One can certainly ask if this points to a county-wide shoot-out between Ceips’ supporters and her opponents. With four months to go before filing begins, it will be interesting to see what happens in the spring.
Stay tuned, this could get interesting …
you just never know anymore. these days, i'd believe just about anything expect the usual and ordinary.
Lee Atwater was a great (family) friend and mentor. I met and worked with him as an officer of the College Republicans there.
I can't seem to get away from politics. Come visit my most recent online excursion. Not the most famous, considering my other sucess, but certainly the fastest growing.
You needen't publish this comment, since its off topic, but I do hope you will come by and see what a nice girl from CofC is doing with her time since being the Derby Darling for Sigma Chi.