Moore facing long, not impossible odds

The announcement that Sen. Tommy Moore will run for the Democratic nomination for governor was not surprising news when the Clearwater resident declared his candidacy on Saturday.

Rumors had been circulating for weeks that Moore was considering a campaign for the position currently held by Gov. Mark Sanford. Recent polls have shown that the governor's approval rating has been slipping, and that must have provided some impetus for Moore in his thoughts on running for the top executive post in the state.

Sanford faces some serious questions as he looks to make a bid for re-election in next year's balloting. He has not always been singing from the same page as members of the Legislature within his own party. And South Carolinians have seen little in the way of positive news from an economic standpoint as the state's jobless rate remains among the highest in the country.

While Moore or any other Democrat will be facing an uphill battle in the run for the Governor's Mansion, one should be reminded that the previous two governors of South Carolina have been defeated in their run for a second term. That could be indicative that any incumbent governor does not get a free ride for a second term but will have to earn it on the campaign trail and through accomplishments on the job.

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