Buddy Witherspoon to Challenge Graham
[Tim Cameron]
The 2008 U.S. Senate in South Carolina race is about to get heated up. That’s because RNC National Committeeman Dr. Buddy Witherspoon has decided to challenge Sen. Lindsey Graham in next year’s Republican Primary. Witherspoon has already contacted several key state party leaders and expressed his intentions to run against the recently embattled Graham. At this point, the question isn’t whether Witherspoon plans to run, but rather when he will announce.
While names like former Congressman Tommy Harnett and state Rep. Jeff Duncan were floated around as potential challengers to Graham, it did not appear as though he would face serious opposition in next year’s primary. Witherspoon isn’t a widely known figure, but his position with RNC should give him enough clout with donors and activists to mount a serious challenge to Graham.
Sen. Graham will be extremely well funded. He has nearly $4 million cash on hand. But Graham has angered numerous Republican Primary voters with his stance on immigration and his membership in the “Gang of 14”. This has led many GOP activists to question his conservative credentials.
Witherspoon, on the other hand, is considered to be ultra-conservative. He is steadfastly pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-gun and anti-amnesty. If he were elected, he would be the farthest right member of the South Carolina delegation and possibly the entire U.S. Senate.
Currently, it appears that Graham will have a huge edge on Witherspoon, but things often happen in elections that nobody expects. Sen. Graham and his $4 million will be tough to beat, but it certainly won’t be impossible given the feelings of the voter base.
October 10th, 2007 at 12:42 am
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A01E3D71230F933A15752C0A96F958260
New York Times
January 20, 1999
G.O.P. Urged to Quit Group Called Racist
The chairman of the Republican National Committee called on his fellow party members today to resign from the Council of Conservative Citizens, saying ”it appears that this group does hold racist views.”
”A member of the party of Lincoln should not belong to such an organization,” said the chairman, Jim Nicholson.
He appealed directly to Buddy Witherspoon, one of the party’s national committee members from South Carolina, to resign from the council. Mr. Witherspoon told Mr. Nicholson that he would not.
Mr. Witherspoon insisted that the council’s South Carolina chapter held no racist views, but was simply an advocate for conservative causes, especially the right to display the Confederate flag in the South.
The council, based in St. Louis, has become a national embarrassment for the committee in recent weeks amid reports that two Republicans, Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, the majority leader, and Representative Bob Barr of Georgia, spoke at its meetings. Both have distanced themselves from the group.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
“He is steadfastly pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-gun and anti-amnesty. If he were elected, he would be the farthest right member of the South Carolina delegation and possibly the entire U.S. Senate.”
Those two lines scare me, but this should make for an interesting race.
October 11th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
I met Dr. Witherspoon for the first time recently and believe him to be a fine man.
His credentials are great and it will be nice to have a true believer in the U.S. Constitution for a change to replace the traitor that currently holds that U.S. Senate seat.
October 14th, 2007 at 11:30 am
It warms my heart to hear anyone will run. I believe the response will be overwhelming for anyone running against Lindsey. He has done the residents of this state that he is ” proud to represent” wrong. He has ignored the people of this state and their problems.
Lindsey talks about bigots but appears to be one of the biggest ones of all time.
I say Go Mr. Witherspoon. Anyone running against Lindsey has my full support and that of most of the people I know…..
Go home Lindsey…. back to the hills of Seneca where it’s ok not to honor valid legal court awards…… And you are a Judge Sir…… umph
October 15th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
I look forward to discussing the issues with Mr. Witherspoon as we debate Lindsey Graham. I am running for the U.S. Senate Seat currently held by Lindsey and expect that 2008 will be a year of Change. Visit my website and review my positions. http://www.carnesforsenate.com/
October 17th, 2007 at 1:26 am
[...] Related News: Dr. Buddy Witherspoon, South Carolina RNC National Committeeman, has entered the race … [...]
November 6th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Go Buddy Go!
November 20th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Dr. Witherspoon has a website up now. I’m excited.
November 21st, 2007 at 3:09 pm
[...] The Shot says of Witherspoon: “If he were elected, he would be the farthest right member of the South Carolina delegation and possibly the entire U.S. Senate.” Judging by Witherspoon’s immigration platform, that isn’t difficult to believe: “Open borders … weaken our common culture and national identity.” Add to that Witherspoon’s pro-life, pro-second amendment, anti-spending, and pro-values stances as well as his claim of being “a strict constructionist,” and you’ve got a man who’d make Jim DeMint, South Carolina’s conservative Senator, blush. [...]
February 23rd, 2008 at 12:11 am
I don’t know Mr. Witherspoon but if he can get rid of Lindsey Graham, for the State of South Carolin, I’m all for him. I am tired of sending Lindsey e-mails telling him to check with Jim DeMint before he votes on any Bill. I used to vote for him but when he became a “DimOcrap” he lost me. Look up the word “opportunist” and you will find Lindsey Graham.
February 24th, 2008 at 3:45 am
Some of Witherspoon’s positions are pretty radical - don’t count on a “Fair Tax” being enacted any time soon. But, I’m cutting a modest check - it will be worth it to see a TV ad with Lindsey GrahAMNESTY calling South Carolinians “bigots” and promising to “shut [us] up,” won’t it? I’ve got news for GrahAMNESTY - it’s time YOU did the shutting up and it’s time to get RINO’s OUT of the US Senate!
February 24th, 2008 at 6:08 am
I don’t have a clue about you or what you are trying to represent to the American people. I support Senator Jim DeMint and DO NOT GIVE A HOOT about Senator Graham, as I sent him a e-mail many months ago about the “Dream Bill”, and or what ever, and all I got from him was a BS e-mail. Senator DeMint, by e-mail did respont with answers. As of November 26, and November 28,2007 I did receive two form letters, from Graham explaining his BS. My family met you this past week-end at the Aiken Battle and brother-in-law, Ernest McPeake, spoke with you, that’s all I know. Wrong, I think he said you were a dentist in the Navy. I’m a former combat Marine and I served from 1966 until 1970 in my beloved Corps, and I was in Nam in 1967 until 1968 during the Tet Offensive in I Corps. I have 70% PTSD from Nam, so what are you going to do help our new vets and what will you try to do about our “South of the border mess”. You people, “politicans”, run your mouth, spend more to get nominated than what the job pays and then the hell with all of us little people. Oh!!!! get to Wahingston and here is the mega bucks coming in.
Sir, were you FMF? You told my brother-in-law that you felt that you should me in a Marine Corps uniform than Navy…no problem, but please explain. My brothers, Navy Corpsman didn’t go through Marine Boot Camp, but this is where we the Marines earn the EGA. These Corpsman that went into combat with us, save and bleed with us will always will be the Marines’s best friend and always will be one of us…Marines.
Bill Nix
May 6th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I am very interested in having state representatives who support the Fair Tax and Buddy does. I also like his conservative views, but am concerned about the google article on the card carrying member of that conservative group who believes in white sepremecy! If this is a smear article with incorrect info. he needs to repudiate it NOW if he hopes to get elected…..