Larry Martin Re-Elected to Senate
Filed Under Caucus, Martin, Top News
“I believe the good people of Pickens County were able to see what was happening and I think they decided not to yield to special interest groups.”
- State Rep. B. R. Skelton
Incumbent State Rep. B.R. Skelton will face Democratic opposition in November, but he may have fended off the biggest challenge to his political career on Tuesday.
Skelton topped challenger Troy Whitehurst 1,524 to 1,280, in a battle that, like the parallel race in Oconee County, was charged with claims of outside money influence by Skelton and big spending in Columbia by Whitehurst. Unlike Oconee, however, Gov. Mark Sanford did not throw is formal backing to Skelton’s challenger, but that didn’t soften the winner’s comments Tuesday night.
“I believe the good people of Pickens County were able to see what was happening, and I think they decided not to yield to special interest groups,” Skelton said. “I respect my opponent’s work ethic, but do not respect the ethics used by outside groups — particularly the lack of truth in what they were saying.”
Skelton will face Democrat Jason Gale in the November general election.
While the Skelton-Whitehurst race was tight all the way, the District 2 Senate contest between incumbent Larry Martin and challenger Mac Martin was never close. Larry Martin, who faces no opposition in November, easily won by receiving 9,859 votes to Mac Martin’s 2,442.
“It was a little more than I expected, but I’ll take it,” Larry Martin said following the final tally.
The longtime legislator, who has served in Columbia since winning a House seat in the 1970s, said he was pleased at the support he received throughout Pickens County.
“When I first ran for the House, I never expected to be doing this 30 years later,” he said. “But I’m so appreciative of the support people have given me, and I’m hopeful I can continue to justify their confidence in me.”
Though disappointed in the outcome, Mac Martin said he was glad voters had a choice.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport,” Mac Martin said. “We had a good, clean, competitive race, and the choice was there for people to make. If I didn’t participate, it would have been 100 percent for Larry.”
Despite endorsement, Rumsey’s campaign derailed
Ed Rumsey’s District 2 House campaign, which picked up steam from Gov. Mark Sanford’s May endorsement, was derailed Tuesday in an overwhelming defeat by incumbent Rep. Bill Sandifer.
Rumsey garnered 1,283 votes, while Sandifer reeled in 3,269 votes for a winning margin of roughly 72 percent.
“I think tonight says that the people of Oconee County and this district will not allow an election to be bought, no matter how much money someone spends,” Sandifer said after his win. “The people in this district are independent-minded, and not unduly influenced by a person who does not live here.”
Rumsey took criticism in Oconee for receiving thousands of dollars from purported front groups for New York City political activist Howard Rich. The often contentious debate between the two centered around the influence of outside interests in Rumsey’s campaign, versus the criticisms of Sandifer’s so-called pork barrel spending habits in the legislature.
Sandifer said his margin of victory Tuesday was the highest he’d ever had in a contest, including elections against Democrats.
“I think that is rather significant,” Sandifer said. “That is a very strong message to those who are trying to buy elections in Oconee County.”
Graham storms to victory
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham was running away from his Republican primary challenger Buddy Witherspoon as the final ballots were being counted late Tuesday. Graham had double the votes statewide, an did even better in the Upstate where he carried Oconee County 6,300 to 1,947 and Pickens County 9,343 to 4,456.
The Democrat U.S. Senate race between Robert Conley and Michael Cone was too close to call as of press time when Conley led his opponent 62,596 to 62,191 with 36 of 45 counties reporting. In Pickens and Oconee, Conley combined for 549 votes, to 505 for Cone.
The Daily Journal / Daily Messenger
By Brett McLaughlin
June 11, 2008
Andrew Moore and Brett McLaughlin contributed to this report.
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