Case hammers Hipp; challenges claim two incumbents

Scott Case gives his victory speech to those gathered at his home after winning his race to remain on the Greenville County Council by defeating Hayne Hipp. Staff/Ken Osburn e-mail this story Related Photo gallery • Election 2004: June 8th

Council Chairwoman Phyllis Henderson and Councilman Dozier Brooks lost their races to Republican challengers. Incumbent Bob Taylor won and Steve Selby faces a runoff with Tony Trout in two weeks.

None of the Republicans face opposition from Democrats in the fall election.

Case, the leader of the council's conservative majority, stood on the steps in the foyer of his home and with his wife Theresa at his side, dedicated his victory over fellow Republican Hayne Hipp to the Lord.

"I look at the resources we had against us in the campaign, not discounting the resources we had, but I certainly can only come to one conclusions that that is tonight, we were blessed by God," Case said.

Hipp conceded about 9 p.m. He said regardless of the outcome, his objective of bringing "heightened debate" to the election was accomplished.

"We wanted to shed some light on the economic challenges significant tax issues and social issues that are polarizing us," he said.

He said the huge amount of money spent on the race — $100,000 for him alone — was a reflection of the broad support he enjoyed.

Don Aiesi, a political science professor at Furman University, said moderates tried to break the stranglehold religious Republicans have on the local party. They failed.

"This was an election for the control of the direction of politics in Greenville County," he said

The fate of a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday rests with the Selby-Trout runoff, provided the winning incumbents don't change their previous votes. The two new council members campaigned on the promise of supporting the holiday.

A Selby victory would leave the council split 6-6 on the issue.

Newcomer Jim Burns defeated Henderson in District 21, which encompasses the Eastside.

In District 27, newcomer Butch Kirven had taken all three districts reporting. There are 12 precincts in the district that encompasses the Golden Strip area.

Kirven is a real estate appraiser and consultant who spent 37 years in the Army National Guard. One of Kirven's objectives is to review the surplus fund with an eye toward not maintaining a large surplus of public money.

Keith James of Simpsonville said publicity led to him to vote for Kirven.

"For every flyer I got from Brooks, I got ten saying not to vote for him," James said.

Hipp, the 64-year-old chief executive officer of Liberty Corp., banked on change — preaching a message of inclusiveness and a change in direction for the economics of the county.

Case responded by calling Hipp a liberal Democrat. Case said he, on the other hand, was running on a solidly conservative record.

Other voters were split as they came out of their polling places Tuesday afternoon. Jack Whitted said he had known Hipp since he was "knee high to a duck" and came out Tuesday to support him. He said he respected Hipp's business prowess and felt he could handle the county's finances better than the incumbent.

Greenville County school teacher Phyllis Bolick supported Scott Case because she was annoyed by the Hipp strategy, which included calling her home three times Monday, she said.

"Everyday I'd come home from work and there'd be messages," she said. "I'm glad they were so good about working, but there comes a limit."

The Hipp-Case campaign was fiercely fought and at times the two-month race for Case's seat seemed like much more than a battle for a lone county council district. The candidates raised more than $150,000 and had spent nearly $120,000 as of May 25.

Centerpiece of Hipp's campaign was a promise to return the excess from the county's more than $50 million reserve fund to the voters — about $300 per household, he said.

Krystal and Chris Godwin, residents of the Brook Glenn precinct, felt Case's stance on social conservative issues and the surplus made him their choice.

"I believe we can trust Scott Case and what he stands for," Krystal Godwin said.

"Outside influences don't affect him," said her husband, holding their 4-month-old daughter, Kaitlin.

-- Staff Writers Anna B. Brutzman and April M. Silvaggio contributed to this story.