Posted on Sat, Jun. 03, 2006

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Bog-off hosts Pataki

All incumbents except Lazarus lose in straw poll

By Travis Tritten

The Sun News

TOM MURRAY/The Sun News

Phyllis Richardson of Anyor casts a vote in the straw poll at the GOP Elephant Stampede Bog-off held at Conway High.

• Q&A: New York's governor talks elections, energy

There was much talk about slimming government and a guest appearance by New York Gov. George Pataki for the annual GOP Elephant Stampede Bog-off in Conway on Friday.

The Bog-off is the Republican Party's big gathering leading up to the June 13 primary elections and its straw poll is a weather vane for how party members may vote.

Poll results showed some upsets for nearly all County Council incumbents.

Hundreds gathered for a buffet of different-hued chicken bog and campaigning from candidates for state treasurer down to Horry County Council.

Pataki, who is mulling a run for president in 2008, flew in to whip up enthusiasm for Republicans in the primary and the November general election.

Republicans are facing tough criticism nationally with Iraq and a lack of confidence in the economy, among other issues. Some predict that could influence this year's elections in the Democrats favor.

"There's no reason we shouldn't win in November here in South Carolina and across the nation," Pataki said. "We are two different parties with different points of view. We think every day is the Fourth of July and they think every day is April 15 [tax day]."

He touted New York's turnaround under Republican leadership and criticized what he said was decades of Democratic rule that drove the state down.

Pataki also invoked the terrorism attacks in 2001 and said the planned Freedom Tower and Sept. 11 memorial in New York City will be a symbol of U.S. determination and pride.

"Where the towers stood we are going to have a very moving memorial," he said. "We will tell the story of 9/11, but right beside it we are going to build a new tower."

Meanwhile, Elephant Stampede participants paid for raffle tickets and stuffed brown boxes with straw poll ballots.

The results were losses for every incumbent Horry County Council member except chairman candidate and District 2 Councilman Mark Lazarus.

Here's the results for races with incumbents:

Horry County Council chairman

Liz Gilland | 70

Mark Lazarus | 242

County Council District 1

Holly Kaufmann | 180

Harold Worley | 106

County Council District 5

Howard Barnard | 125

Brett Perry | 132

County Council District 8

Michael Roberts | 164

Carl Schwartzkopf |77

Horry County Auditor Lois Eargle, who founded the Stampede in 1994, said the polls can be telling of election results.

Bill McKown, a Surfside Beach Town Council member, came out on top of the race for S.C. secretary of state with 178 votes, which beat out competitor Mark Hammond who had 145 votes. "I feel great. I'm right on track," McKown said.