Momentum Builds for Bill Connor as State Leaders Rally

As his campaign momentum continues through to the runoff, Bill Connor announced that multiple former candidates around South Carolina had endorsed his campaign.

First District Congressional candidate Larry Kebrovsky:

“I’m honored to support Bill Connor for Lt. Governor, who I personally know to be the Tea Party candidate that represents the values that I believe in.”

First District Congressional candidate Katherine Jenerette:

“I have talked to Bill many times about the issues we all face here in South Carolina and he ‘get’s it’ as person who has a great understanding of the real world problems in our state,” Jenerette said Tuesday night.

“His combat military experience and leadership has proven his dedication to the highest traditions and sacrifice of service to our nation and our state,” Jenerette, a U.S. Army Persian Gulf War veteran continued. “I know that he has the ‘right stuff’ to lead as our Lieutenant Governor and I am proud to support and endorse him.”

“I encourage all of the voters of the First Congressional District to get out the Vote during the run off election in two weeks and vote for Bill Connor for South Carolina Lieutenant Governor.”

Fourth District Congressional candidate and Air Force veteran Jim Lee:

“Last February, on the banks of the Reedy River in Greenville, I met Bill Connor at the first Tea Party in South Carolina. Since then, I’ve seen his consistent commitment to the cause of limited government, true conservative values, and honor and integrity as the campaign played out over these past fifteen months. I see in Bill the same deep, burning passion that I have to see different representation serving us not only in Washington but also in Columbia. I am proud to support my fellow veteran and citizen-statesman Bill Connor in his runoff for Lt. Governor.”

Superintendent of Education candidate Kelly Payne:

“As hard as I worked these past ten months in my campaign for Superintendent of Education, there was a candidate running for Lieutenant Governor who always started earlier, worked harder, and kept at it longer. That candidate was Bill Connor. Bill’s military service and commitment to conservative ideals impressed me from the first time I met him. He has my unwavering support in his race for Lieutenant Governor.”

Superintendent of Education candidate Dr. Gary L. Burgess:

“Over the course of my campaign, I was able to meet a number of committed conservatives looking to move our state forward with fresh ideas. One of those who stands out because of his proven leadership is running for Lt. Governor. I support Lt. Colonel Bill Connor’s campaign to make our state a ‘shining city on a hill’ as an example of freedom to the rest of our nation, and I look forward to working with him.”

The Connor campaign also announced that former Congressman Tommy Hartnett, State House candidate Tony Lamm and current Oconee County GOP Chair Eddie Adams were endorsing Connor.

Connor was pleased at the response to his campaign.

“I have spent the past fifteen months working to get our state back on track from the damage the politicians have done over the past ten years,” Connor said. “I am pleased that these candidates who are my fellow outsiders (and in some cases also my fellow veterans) have seen my commitment on the campaign trail day in and day out.

“I am very grateful for their support and look forward to working with them to bring conservative-minded reforms that will begin to clean up the mess in Columbia.”

About Bill Connor: Bill Connor is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserve who received the Bronze Star and Combat Infantryman’s Badge for his service in combat as the senior American advisor in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Bill is the first post-9/11 combat veteran to announce and file for South Carolina statewide office, and the only combat veteran running for Lt. Governor. His opponent in the Republican runoff is Ken Ard. In addition to his Reserve duties, Bill serves as the Chairman of the Board of Orangeburg Christian Academy. Bill is a graduate of the Citadel and USC Law School.

Complete South Carolina Primary Results

Complete Republican and Democrat South Carolina Primary Results are here.

Responses to Sunlit Uplands' Endorsements

We received some excellent comments in response to our post, The Right Leadership for South Carolina's Future, in which we endorsed candidates in four statewide races -- Henry McMaster for Governor, Bill Connor for Lieutenant Governor, Alan Wilson for Attorney General, and Mick Zais for State Superintendent of Education.

To better clarify our thoughts about these candidates, we thought we would share several of these comments and our responses:

On the Governor's Race

Ellen said...

Daniel, I like this post very much. Like you, I believe that a candidate's character and conduct in private life do matter in choosing who to vote for. So I am in a difficult situation in regards to the Governor's race.

Over the past week or two with all that has happened in that race...well for one Henry McMaster has gone from being my fourth place choice to my second place. I cannot now see myself casting a ballot for either Barrett or Bauer based on how they have allowed their campaigns to be conducted.

That brings me to Nikki Haley. She has been my first choice for Governor for a while now. Like I said, I believe character and a candidate's personal life do matter. But at this point I have Haley's repeated statements that the allegations from these men against her are not true, and that she has been 100% faithful throughout her marriage. And I have seen no evidence to suggest otherwise.

I guess I'm wondering, since you blogged on the issue of character and personal lives above--is it these allegations that soured you on Haley, or are you just attracted to McMaster for other reasons? For me, if it was true what a blogger and a lobbyist are alleging about Haley...well, then I probably would't vote for her. But at this point, I think it would be incredibly unfair of me to allow these allegations to change my vote since she vehemently denies them and asserts her faithfulness.

I hope I expressed myself well. I am just trying to figure out who to vote for and thought you might share some additional insight.

Daniel J. Cassidy said...

Dear Ellen,

Thank you for your question. I appreciate your comments and the opportunity to explain the considerations that went into my choices.

I had decided to support Henry McMaster before any allegations arose about Nikki Haley. She was and remains my second choice in the race. If anything, I was tempted to support Mrs. Haley BECAUSE of the opposition to her from the worst elements and staunchest defenders of South Carolina's political status quo. I doubt the truth of the allegations, but I have no doubt that they are motivated by a desire to derail her very successful campaign.

Obviously, my choices were also not influenced by the polls, and there could be runoffs in all four races in which I endorsed a candidate.

I believe that Henry McMaster is best prepared by experience, temperament and ability to lead South Carolina and bring about the Constitutional changes that South Carolina government needs. We need a state government run by a Governor and an appointed cabinet with far more authority and power to implement needed change, and which is accountable to the electorate for results. Currently, we have a state run by a cabal of legislative leaders without any transparency or accountability whatsoever.

Like Governor Sanford, Mrs. Haley stands for all the right reforms; but like Governor Sanford, I fear that she would face implacable resistance from legislative leaders and would be unable to work with the General Assembly to implement those reforms and get anything done.

I believe that Henry McMaster recognizes the systemic problems we face and is better prepared to work with legislators and rally public opinion to bring about needed change.

If a runoff gives us a choice between Nikki Haley and Henry McMaster, South Carolinians will have two superb candidates from which to choose.

On the State Superintendent for Education Race

John Holmgren said...

Elizabeth Moffly vs. Mick Zais
SC Superintendent of Education candidates

I listened with interest Tuesday, May 25th, in Florence to Mick Zais’ recount of his exploits over the years. While impressive, it occurs that they are irrelevant to the task at hand. The position of Superintendent of Education deals exclusively with SC public education of K – 12 children.

Mr. Zais’ history has been in the military, where one leads by command; at the college level, where the student has already demonstrated motivation; and in the private sector, where admission is, by definition, selective. Certainly not in the hoi poloi of K-12!

Further, he offers only his resume. I failed to hear his plan to improve SC education. His pitch is that if you are hiring a football coach you would want to hire a successful one. True. But, given that analogy, why hire a swimming coach to coach football?

By contrast, Elizabeth Moffly’s entire experience in education has been in K-12. She is a first-hand student of the subject, its problems and issues.

Moreover, she offers a very specific, detailed and practical 4-plank initiative to improve our children’s educational experience and slow the terrible high school drop-out rate. It can be seen at her web site, www.VoteMoffly.com. For those interested in improving the schooling of South Carolina youth, it is well worth reading and absorbing.

Ms. Moffly’s passion is intensely focused on the quality of K-12 education. Additionally, she does not view the position as a staging area for a run for Governor or any other political position.

I encourage you to reconsider your endorsement for Zais, and instead vote for Elizabeth Moffly for Superintendent of Education in the Republican primary on June 8th.

John Holmgren
Charleston

Daniel J. Cassidy said...

Thank you, Mr. Holmgren, I appreciate your taking time to share your thoughts on the candidates for Superintendent of Education.

I believe that the greatest impetus to improving public schools and strengthening accountability to parents for results, would be to give parents in the worst schools the opportunity to walk away from them. When dollars follow the child to schools chosen by parents, schools will be motivated to end the culture of failure. Currently, failure often leads to even more money.

Several months ago I sent an E-mail to Mrs. Moffly asking if she supported tuition tax credits or vouchers. I could not get a straight answer from her. I asked again, "yes or no" whether she supports real school choice. I got another evasive response.

Massive amounts of money and decades of tinkering with the system have left us with schools that are mediocre at best, and from which approximately half of South Carolina students fail to graduate.

Based on Mrs. Moffly's refusal to say whether or not she supports tuition tax credits and vouchers, I assume she wants to do more tinkering with the command and control system. It will not work, and I will not support a candidate who can't or won't answer a basic question about her policy positions.

Angry Electorate Roars at Washington, Hands Setbacks to Establishment Candidates

One by one, the incumbents or establishment-backed candidates in Tuesday's slate of high-stake contests fell or fell short.

May 18: Sen. Arlen Specter waves as he gives his concession speech in Philadelphia.

From Fox News

If Tuesday's primaries were any indication, incumbents and establishment-backed candidates in November should be shaking in their boots.

In Kentucky, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, who was backed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and former Vice President Dick Cheney, was soundly defeated by Tea Party favorite Rand Paul. In Pennsylvania, five-term Sen. Arlen Specter, who ditched the Republican Party last year to save his career, ended up being sent into retirement anyway by Rep. Joe Sestak in the Democratic primary.

And in Arkansas, Sen. Blanche Lincoln was forced into a runoff against Lt. Gov. Bill Halter after she failed to win the majority of votes in the Democratic primary.

Taken together, the results of Tuesday's races sent a clear message to Washington that the anti-incumbent wave that has gripped the nation over the past year isn't losing steam.

Read the rest of this entry >>