Barrett to focus on economy in governor run
By: John O’Connor
The State
March 5, 2009
U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett entered the 2010 Republican gubernatorial race Wednesday, sending a video announcement by e-mail to supporters.
Money — including the economy, job creation and campaign funding — is likely to be the race’s top issue, Barrett, consultants and others said.
Barrett, a former state lawmaker and three-term U.S. representative from Westminster, is the first big-name Republican candidate to enter the race, following Furman University political scientist Brent Nelson. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer and Attorney General Henry McMaster also are considering bids.
That field would represent a replay, of sorts, of the 2002 race between Mark Sanford (then an ex-congressman), Charlie Condon (then the state attorney general) and Bob Peeler (then the lieutenant governor).
“These are uncertain times and I think I bring some certain qualities to the race,” Barrett said, referring to his military background and U.S. House service.
“I can bring people together. Bring the Legislature together, bring the business people, bring the laypeople.”
Barrett said economic development is his top issue, particularly focusing on the state’s more than 80,000 small businesses.
The economic conditions could work against Republicans who thrive among middle- and upper-class voters, said University of South Carolina political scientist Blease Graham. South Carolina has the nation’s third-highest unemployment rate, likely to soon exceed 10 percent.
“At 10 percent unemployment,” Graham said, “we’re all Democrats.”
Graham said Barrett faces more of a challenge than Sanford did in 2002, since Sanford’s contrarian positions had drawn national and state attention.
The candidate who can best convince voters that he is the true fiscal conservative, Graham said, will have the best shot in the GOP primary.
“Sanford didn’t start from scratch,” Graham said. “I think (Barrett’s) got a steeper hill to climb.”
Barrett’s internal polling data backs that up, with just half of S.C. voters recognizing his name. About 89 percent of those polled recognized Bauer, while 75 percent knew McMaster.
The poll of 500 voters was conducted by Virginia-based Ayers McHenry & Associates.
Winthrop University political scientist Scott Huffmon said Barrett announcing early allows him to introduce himself on his own terms.
“You want to be the proactive person in defining yourself,” rather than leaving that to opponents, Huffmon said.
Barrett said he also looks forward to one-on-one contact with voters. State observers say those kinds of contacts may be mandatory, considering that campaign funding won’t be easy to get in this economy. economy.
Jim Dyke, Barrett’s Charleston-based campaign adviser, estimates the 2010 GOP gubernatorial primary could cost $4 million. Others have estimated the total primary and general election costs at $8 million to $10 million.
According to his most recent federal campaign finance report, Barrett has $725,000 on hand. McMaster has $778,426 in his re-election account, while Bauer has $435,757. Both McMaster and Bauer raised more than $110,000 during the fourth quarter.
Republican fundraisers have said they are having a tougher time coaxing money from donors and expect donations to be down 25 to 30 percent than during a typical election year.
Less money, Graham said, could affect how much television and other advertising a candidate can afford to purchase.
“They need to be making the speeches, grabbing the hands, making the fundraisers,” Graham said.
