"I was able to campaign with a team that I'm proud of and that starts at the top with the president," the three-term congressman told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.

With 91 percent of precincts reporting in unofficial returns, DeMint led with 54 percent of the vote compared with Democrat Inez Tenenbaum's 44 percent.

"We all worked hard," said Tenenbaum, the state's education chief. "We stood up for the right reasons and the right issues, but with the president being so popular in South Carolina, it was just very hard to overcome his coattails, and that's what the big difference was."

This year's election drew extra attention, knowing control of the Senate was at stake. The state became a battleground for both parties, which pumped millions of dollars into the race, as well as special interest groups.

"I really think it was the ideas that eventually won it," DeMint said.

Tenenbaum campaigned throughout the conservative-leaning state as a moderate who would act independent of her party, but Republicans worked to pin her as a liberal.

Gary Grant, a 45-year-old maritime engineer from Charleston, split his vote, casting his ballot for President Bush and Tenenbaum.

"She has demonstrated integrity and the ability to get things done," said Grant, who considers himself an independent. "When you start stereotyping and placing yourself in parties, you kind of eliminate candidates who really are qualified and they may not be in the party you belong to."

South Carolina made history Tuesday, deciding to send two Republicans to the Senate for the first time since Reconstruction.

When Hollings went to Washington in 1966, the state was solidly Democratic. These days, it's difficult for a Democrat to win any statewide office. However, Tenenbaum has been elected education superintendent twice.

For most of the past 40 years, Hollings and Republican Strom Thurmond had been the state's senators. Thurmond, who died last year, retired two years ago and was replaced by former Rep. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Hollings will retire after this year.

"Inez has always had a difficult task and that is to get thousands of South Carolinians to vote for her and President Bush," Graham said.

DeMint was seen as the favorite, but Tenenbaum closed the gap in the polls after several weeks of bashing the Republican's proposal to scrap the Internal Revenue Service and replace it with a 23 percent national sales tax.

It swayed Bob Johnson, 63, of Columbia, a retired Army veteran. "I didn't like it, I found it offensive," Johnson said.

But DeMint said most South Carolinians weren't impressed with Tenenbaum's attacks.

"It's easy to demagogue when you have an idea out there, and I think that's why you don't hear many politicians talk about new ideas," DeMint said. "People can use it to scare people. I think most people in South Carolina are ready to engage the future with some new thinking."

DeMint also made headlines by saying openly gay teachers should not be allowed in public schools, then following that up a few days later by saying unwed mothers were unfit to stand in front of a classroom. He eventually apologized for the latter remark.

Despite the controversies, DeMint was able to carry through on GOP momentum that has been building in South Carolina for several years. Bush is hugely popular, and Republicans control the governor's office, the Legislature and four of the six U.S. House seats.

"Who would have ever envisioned just a few weeks ago that he would have hung on by his fingernails," said Francis Marion University political scientist Neal Thigpen. "He owes a huge debt of gratitude to George W. Bush and certainly to (Gov.) Mark Sanford and Lindsey Graham."

Hollings said the race shows the strength of his party, despite Tenenbaum's loss.

"I have never seen a more rejuvenated Democratic Party than what we have here," said Hollings, 82.

State Democratic Party Chairman Joe Erwin said Republicans are in control but don't count his party out yet.

"The fact that this is such a competitive race, the fact this isn't a cake walk for who the Republicans choose, means regardless of what happens, this party is on the rise," he said.

Tenenbaum was looking ahead to her political future.

"I think this race has made me a viable candidate for other races, but I look forward to going back to the state Department of Education this week and we've got a lot of work to do," Tenenbaum said. "I fortunately have a job that I love waiting for me."

Click here to return to story:
http://www.augustachronicle.com/stories/110304/met_SC-ELN--SenateRace.shtml