Senator to run for governor

State Sen. Tommy Moore, D-Clearwater, declares his run for governor during the state Democratic convention Saturday in Columbia. Mary Ann Chastain/AP e-mail this story

Introduced for a "special announcement," Moore wasted no time in getting to the point.

"I'm Tommy Moore and I'm running for governor," he said, triggering a standing ovation from delegates and guests, many of whom had been supplied with green, blue and white "Moore for Governor" placards.

Moore, 54, said the state needs "solutions, not just sound bites. We need leadership, we don't need embarrassing public displays," and pledged to end "the needless gridlock" between the executive and legislative branches.

Unlike Senate Minority Leader John Land III, D-Manning, who spoke before Moore's announcement and called Republican Gov. Mark Sanford "kooky," Moore offered no direct criticism of the governor.

That was fine with Greenville delegate James Speed Jr., who said it was "good to speak to people about issues, and that's what we need." Speed, who owns a landscape company, is a candidate for the Greenville City Council in District 4.

Will Folks, Sanford's spokesman, brushed off Land's comment, saying the Democratic leader is "an obstructionist dinosaur, a relic of the failed status quo."

Katie Dreiling, spokeswoman for Sanford's re-election campaign, welcomed "the competition for ideas."

State Democratic Chairman Joe Erwin, who has expressed some anxiety that the party get a candidate into the field, said, "I'm not relieved, I'm excited." Erwin, a Greenville advertising executive, was re-elected to a second two-year term without opposition.

Moore may not have the field to himself for long.

Florence Mayor Frank Willis, 63, was there working the crowd and told reporters he expected to announce in about two weeks, once he had resolved "the fine points" of putting a campaign team in place, arranging preliminary financing and prepping on key issues.

Willis hinted he would frame the debate in terms of a fresh face and new ideas — his — against an establishment candidate — Moore — who would offer voters what they've been rejecting in favor of Republicans.

"Tommy's establishment — a nice guy, but he's establishment," Willis said. Noting Moore's 26 years in the Legislature and Sanford's success in isolating it, Willis said, "You don't hear anything new or progressive coming out of there."

Moore said, "That's good. If he's going to run, he'd better think he's the best candidate."

A third name surfaced among delegates, that of Charleston's Michael Hollings, son of retired Democratic U.S. Sen. Ernest F. Hollings. The younger Hollings could not be reached for comment.

Don Fowler, former state and national party chairman, expressed doubt that there would be a primary because "someone will drop out."

Where some said a hard-fought primary could bring new energy to the party, others were more cautious.

Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Columbia, said he had mixed feelings about a tough primary in a GOP-majority state, but "a lot of people feel the (Democratic) Party is going downhill, and this may bring back our core support."

Horry delegate Sally Howard said she's leaning toward Moore because she knows him, but would settle for "anyone who can beat Mark Sanford."

Rep. Fletcher Smith, a Greenville delegate, said Democrats must avoid a divisive primary "because Republicans are united. A primary is a risk in terms of splitting the party."

Moore is a small businessman and a former Democratic National Committee member. He has been in the Legislature since winning a House seat in 1978. After one term, he moved to the Senate in the Aiken-Edgefield-McCormick-Saluda district.

The last time Moore ventured out of his Senate district, he sought the Democratic nomination for an open 3rd Congressional District seat, but lost the runoff primary.

Republicans wasted no time in going after Moore, branding him "Tax-hike Tommy" in a press release that depicted Moore as the GOP's dream opponent as the sponsor of "the single largest tax increase in state history," in 1994 and 2003.

Katon Dawson, state Republican chairman, said, "If Tommy Moore can finally win a primary, voters will have a real choice between a conservative Republican like Mark Sanford who wants to cut taxes and a liberal Democrat like Tommy Moore who wants to raise them."

Moore said he proposed tax reform that included a 2-cent sales tax hike and higher levies on cigarettes, but also an array of cuts. These included eliminating the first $15,000 in income from taxation, raising the homestead exemption to $55,000 from $50,000, and small business tax relief, similar to that signed into law 10 days ago by Sanford.

He said his bill would have fully funded education "without massive property tax increases."

Moore said it's fine if the GOP wants to underestimate him.

"Folks who sell other people short sometimes get a pretty good lesson. The dream-makers may wake up with a nightmare."

He said a platform would come later and focused on generalities.

Moore portrayed himself as a consensus-building candidate who can win by attracting crossover Republicans and cited his ability to draw GOP support in a Senate district that includes significant Republican areas.

"I'm not speaking to just this convention, I'm speaking to all citizens, Republicans, independents: We can and we must seize this moment — and do it together."

Moore zeroed in on low growth and the state's unemployment rate, the nation's third highest

"Stand up for the poor and the needy, not just the privileged few," Moore said. "Stand with me to unite South Carolina."

Moore enters the race largely from scratch, with a rudimentary organization and little money. Sanford had $2.7 million in the bank as of March 31, according to his campaign finance report filed with the state Ethics Commission.

Sanford and Democratic Gov. Jim Hodges spent more than $7 million each in their 2002 campaigns, although Sanford spent nearly half of his money on a primary and runoff. Dan Hoover covers politics and can be reached at 298-4883.