Dems splitting ranks in House 115 race?
Two years ago, Democratic State Rep. Anne Peterson Hutto defied odds by winning the District 115 State House seat by a few hundred votes in a terrible year for GOP voter turnout. In a year which is likely to see much higher Republican voter turnout, she can't afford to have her Democratic base split in a district which is usually goes for Republicans.
Which is exactly what seems to be happening.
Long-time James Island politico Eugene Platt, who has served on the James Island Public Service Commission since 1993 and was the Democratic nominee for the seat in 2006, is launching a petition candidacy to enter the fall House race.
According to several people we talked with, Platt has been walking the district for several weeks, visiting voter households to secure enough signatures to qualify for the fall ballot. Given the amount of time he's been walking, it seems likely that he'll earn a place on the ballot.
We talked with a Platt supporter, who told us that a number of Democrats in the district were supporting him:
Whatever you can say about him, the guy has long ties to the islands, experience in government. Republicans, Democrats and Independents like him. His sober, mature approach to getting things done is what we need.
When pressed for numbers, he wouldn't say, but given the district's usual Republican lean, Platt's candidacy could be what it takes to make the race really interesting - and spell defeat for Hutto.
Look at some voting history from the James Island and Folly precincts since ARE the precincts where 115 is located:
2004 Senate:
DeMint - 8742, Tenenbaum - 6906
2008 President:
McCain - 8321, Obama - 7413
2008 Straight-ticket votes:
GOP - 3611, DEM - 3099
Hhhmmmm ... three randomly-selected races for those precincts, and guess what, the GOP won them all.
Wallace lost the race, but the GOP didn't lose the voters.
You need to go back to math class and charm school and send your buddy to driver's ed and AA. She needs both.
As to chickesh.. Anon, Gene gets re-elected to the PSD commission, so mayhaps your calculus of "no respect" is confused and you're thinking of one of Earl's favorite James Island politicians, Robert Barber or Lynn Seithel.
He cares mbout the islands than that drunk bimbo ever could.
Platt will be as independent as the people of the 115th are, and will bring the sort of mature, responsible leadership that both the people of the 115th deserve, and hopefully will help bring some of the childish antics in Columbia to an end. I am SO tired of my state being the butt of jokes, and Mr. Platt is just what the doctor ordered.
If the latter is typical of Hutto's support base in how mean and sloppy they are, then McCoy has nothing to worry about.
I thought he had the Green Party nomination? Anyway I have known Gene for over 15 years. He is more of a Democrat than Hutto and is very true to his core. I don't agree with is politics but you got to give him the consistency factor. Also he has been on JI for years and know more people than Hutto could ever want to know.