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Article published Nov 4, 2004
Reese a thorn in side of GOP
Alexander
Morrison
Staff Writer
It might have been sweeter the second
time around, but it wasn't any easier.When Democratic incumbent Glenn Reese
defeated Steve Parker in Parker's second run for Senate District 11 Tuesday,
Reese also defeated the Republican political machine.The active support of Gov.
Mark Sanford, a $140,000 TV advertising budget, seven campaign mailings, a
favorable redistricting and an endorsement by the Herald-Journal were not enough
for Parker to unseat Reese."Though we may be rare and few, it does give the
Democrats some representation," Reese said Wednesday.Reese out-polled Parker 56
percent to 44 percent in Tuesday's election, according to unofficial results.
Reese tallied 16,962 votes to Parker's 13,527. Four years ago, Reese won with 58
percent of the vote or 13,120 ballots. Parker received 9,558 votes in that
race.Reese said he planned to cooperate with the Republicans in Columbia,
despite being their election target."It's the way the game is played," he said.
"I understand."Reese has a record of dissent against Sanford, including
filibustering much of the Republican governor's agenda in the last legislative
session.While Reese emphasized his desire to work with Republican constituents
and senators, he also hinted he and Sanford may again find themselves at
loggerheads."I'm like a steady old football team," Reese said. "I'm going to use
the same offense and defense I've always used."Reese's victory over Parker
bucked a statewide trend. The governor actively supported 20 candidates for
election. Parker was one of only six who lost."We weren't running a campaign
against anybody," said Will Folks, Sanford's spokesman.Reese is someone who has
had some differences of opinion with Sanford, Folks said.While Spartanburg
County Republicans turned out in record numbers, giving huge margins of victory
to President Bush and Senate candidate Jim DeMint, Parker could make little
headway against Reese.Reese tallied dominant totals in minority-controlled
districts. In the C.C. Woodson precinct, for example, Reese pulled 686 votes to
Parker's 25 votes.Reese also held his own in other precincts. Parker won the
Boiling Springs precinct by 1,769 votes to Reese's 1,328 votes, a difference of
441 votes. In contrast, Bush beat Kerry by 1,581 votes in Boiling Springs.Reese
primarily ran his campaign based around his history of constituent service. He
said during the race that if he could not get elected on his own merits, he did
not deserve to win."Glenn was on his own," agreed Liz Patterson, chairwoman of
the Spartanburg County Democratic Party. "We helped him very little. He helped
us more than we helped him."Statewide, Democrats picked up a Senate seat with
Joel Lourie winning the vacant but formerly Republican 22nd
District.Republicans, however, maintained control of the Senate with 26 seats to
the Democrats' 20 seats.Votes, however, will be recounted in Senate District 35,
where incumbent Phil Leventis, D-Sumter, leads Republican lawyer Dickie Jones by
36 votes.Regardless of the result in that race, many Republicans have vowed to
change the Senate rules to make it more difficult for individual senators and
the minority party to hold up legislation. They will have the votes to make that
happen.In the wake of an election where it appears no incumbent state senators
lost, Spartanburg County Republican Chairman Rick Beltram was asked whether he
thought Reese could be unseated. Beltram said Reese had a "significant
advantage" in his district.Beltram added tersely: "I never give up on
anything."He said the county party would start looking for a new challenger to
Reese over the next two years. Reese's 11th District seat will come up for
election again in 2008.Beltram also lashed out at Democratic state House Rep.
Brenda Lee, D-Spartanburg, who campaigned for Reese.Beltram said in years past,
the party had not run anyone against Lee because she was open to cooperating
with Republicans in legislative sessions."That alliance, as of today, no longer
exists," Beltram said.He vowed to find a Republican to challenge her in 2006.
"She will no longer be left on our pass list," Beltram said.Lee, who has held
office since 1995 in a heavily Democratic district, seemed to be simultaneously
amused and offended by Beltram's statements."I'm sorry to hear Rick is
sour-graping," Lee said. "If he wants to run someone against me, we can go
tomorrow."She said she had been and would remain open to working with
Republicans but called the idea that she had an unspoken agreement with the
party "ludicrous."As for her support of Reese, Lee asked, "Who else am I going
to support, if I'm not going to support my friends?"Alex Morrison can be reached
at 562-7215 or alex.morrison@shj.com.