BY SCHUYLER KROPF
Of The Post and Courier Staff
Former Attorney General Charlie Condon won Monday's Charles-ton County Republican Party straw poll of candidates in next year's U.S. Senate race, but the name of potential candidate David Beasley kept cropping up.
Many party members said Beas-ley should get in the race, despite the baggage of losing the governor's office in 1998 after one term.
"I would think he'd be the real front-runner," Republican Vickie McCoy said at Monday's county convention, where long-time GOP activist Cyndi Mosteller was elected party chairwoman, defeating Charles Steinert.
Condon, of Sullivan's Island, collected 152 votes in the straw poll of the four Republicans running to succeed retiring Democrat Fritz Hollings. Condon was followed by local developer Thomas Ravenel with 119 votes; U.S. Rep. Jim DeMint of Greenville, 61 votes; and Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride, 44 votes. Beasley, who hasn't decided whether to run, collected two votes.
Many in the audience Monday said they would like to see Beasley, who was defeated by Democrat Jim Hodges in 1998, enter the race because there isn't much to get excited about among the current crop of candidates.
"Back when he lost there were two concerns: the lottery and the flag," said Republican Ted Melchers. "I think he's been vindicated on them both."
"I could vote for him; I'm not saying I would vote for him," said Mickey Seabrook of Mount Pleasant.
Republican Joe Diamond said Beasley's fall from grace with Republicans over endorsing the removal of the Confederate flag from the Statehouse dome shouldn't matter now. Beasley, he said, would make a good senator.
"To me that's a non-issue," Diamond said, adding he backed Beasley for his social conservative stances, including being anti-abortion.
Others said they would support Beasley in a Senate race but also conceded he's semi-damaged goods.
"I don't think he'd win," said Republican Richard Guerard. "I think he's been gone too long and has made some enemies around the state."
Beasley has not committed to running but has said he's been encouraged to enter the race. He was in Greenville on Monday for President Bush's visit and fund-raiser, as were Condon, DeMint, Gov. Mark Sanford, former Govs. Carroll Campbell and John Edwards, and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.
The Senate election is a year away, but the Republican primary in is June and the announced candidates are hundreds of thousands of dollars into their fund-raising.
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