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Article published Sep 1, 2004
South Carolina delegates toast DeMint
Teresa Killian
NYT
Regional Newspapers
NEW YORK -- Ice in glasses clinked. South
Carolinians sampled chicken and crab puff hors d'oeuvres delivered on trays with
purple floral arrangements. They peered in the windows of a stretch car with
space for a hot tub and at a sporty convertible rotating inside the showroom at
BMW of Manhattan.State delegates to the Republican National Convention,
political leaders such as Gov. Mark Sanford and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and
business leaders associated with one of the largest Upstate employers gathered
late Monday and stayed until early Tuesday. The event was held in the delegates'
honor after Monday night's speeches at Madison Square Garden.Conversation ranged
from aching feet caused by walking all over the city to a subject that surfaces
again and again at almost every South Carolina delegate gathering: "Senator"
DeMint.They are talking about Rep. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. He's not a "senator," at
least not yet. But that's what he's called by optimistic state and national
party leaders campaigning for him and for the chance to tilt the balance in the
U.S. Senate a critical difference to the right.DeMint faces off with a Democrat,
Inez Tenenbaum, in November to fill the South Carolina seat being vacated by a
Democrat, Sen. Fritz Hollings.U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a
Tennessee Republican, who addressed South Carolina delegates on Tuesday, said
electing DeMint would benefit the party especially on issues where one vote is
crucial."South Carolina could be that one vote that changes the course of
America," Frist said.Speaking at a breakfast for South Carolina delegates, Frist
said he practically considers himself family because their two states are so
close, but he'd like to be closer. "I need Jim DeMint sitting right next to me
in U.S. Congress," he said.Rick Beltram, chairman of the Spartanburg County
Republican Party, wants volunteers to stay involved in getting voters to the
polls, especially fair-weather voters who may not realize how important their
ballots may be to races such as DeMint's.His chances look good, with "fairly
solid support" in the Greenville-Spartanburg area and coastal counties, said
Blease Graham, professor of political science at the University of South
Carolina. He recommended DeMint concentrate on Midlands counties such as
Lexington.This week, DeMint is making the rounds in New York at a national
convention designed to ignite the campaign for President Bush.DeMint spoke
briefly Monday during an afternoon convention time slot -- not prime time --
about the sky not falling but rather the sky is the limit. The next day, he
lightheartedly questioned whether anyone was paying attention when someone in
the South Carolina breakfast crowd shouted, "I was paying attention."Receptions
are being held in DeMint's honor, and he is mentioned as part of the future in
speeches about the big footprints Sen. Strom Thurmond left behind. Conservative
columnist Armstrong Williams reminded delegates, alternates, guests and state
leaders on Monday of the leadership and style that Strom Thurmond brought the
party."Even though the Lord has called him home, you can still feel his spirit,"
Williams said.He remembered when Thurmond came to conventions that he was never
asked to show credentials because everyone knew him.Williams spoke to the future
being built in the party with DeMint and Graham, who says he's ready for DeMint
to be the state's junior senator."I've got a long list of things for him to do,"
Graham said.