by Wes Wolfe
Wolfe Reports
February 19, 2010
Today, Lowcountry attorney Mullins McLeod abandoned his race for governor and endorsed the campaign of his rival, Sen. Vince Sheheen. They, and prominent Democratic activists and a few elected officials — Sens. Joel Lourie and Brad Hutto, and Reps. Laurie Slade Funderburk and Anton Gunn — gathered at S.C. Democratic Party headquarters for the event. Sheheen’s father, Fred Sheheen, was also in attendence.
In a statement announcing his intentions, McLeod said, “For the sake of our state and our party’s chances in November, I will not allow those seeking change to endure a divisive primary battle between candidates fighting for the same thing. There’s simply too much at risk. A Bauer, McMaster, Barrett or Haley in the Governor’s office would do what we have seen done in the past- they would forget about the everyday folks in South Carolina and concentrate on the status quo. We cannot let this happen.”
He continued, “Today, I am ending my candidacy for Governor and I will not seek any elected office in 2010. Instead, I will continue to fight for those families and I will continue to fight for change by endorsing and campaigning for Vincent Sheheen.”
The pair received a standing ovation after McLeod’s comments, as he put on a Sheheen lapel sticker when he stepped away from the podium.
Sheheen appeared gracious in taking the endorsement from one his his chief rivals, saying, “Both Mullins and I believe that it’s time for new ideas and a new generation of leadership in the governor’s office. We share a vision for a South Carolina with strong public schools, well-paying jobs, and a government that works for the people. I’m grateful to have Mullins on our team as we work to restore hope in South Carolina and make our state a place we can be proud of again.”
Whether or not Supt. of Ed. Jim Rex or Sen. Robert Ford would like to admit it, the race is essentially between Sheheen and attorney Dwight Drake. Drake congratulated McLeod on his efforts, then said in a statement, “The choice in this election is now even more clear. While my other opponents have spent time ignoring the state’s mounting fiscal problems and our rising unemployment, I have a proven record of getting things done and creating jobs.”
McLeod leaves the race with the second-most cash-on-hand. He said that his campaign is still deciding what will be done with the money still in his account. And though anything could happen between now and the primary, the smart money is on Sheheen to become the Democratic nominee.
Wolfe Reports
February 19, 2010
Today, Lowcountry attorney Mullins McLeod abandoned his race for governor and endorsed the campaign of his rival, Sen. Vince Sheheen. They, and prominent Democratic activists and a few elected officials — Sens. Joel Lourie and Brad Hutto, and Reps. Laurie Slade Funderburk and Anton Gunn — gathered at S.C. Democratic Party headquarters for the event. Sheheen’s father, Fred Sheheen, was also in attendence.
In a statement announcing his intentions, McLeod said, “For the sake of our state and our party’s chances in November, I will not allow those seeking change to endure a divisive primary battle between candidates fighting for the same thing. There’s simply too much at risk. A Bauer, McMaster, Barrett or Haley in the Governor’s office would do what we have seen done in the past- they would forget about the everyday folks in South Carolina and concentrate on the status quo. We cannot let this happen.”
He continued, “Today, I am ending my candidacy for Governor and I will not seek any elected office in 2010. Instead, I will continue to fight for those families and I will continue to fight for change by endorsing and campaigning for Vincent Sheheen.”
The pair received a standing ovation after McLeod’s comments, as he put on a Sheheen lapel sticker when he stepped away from the podium.
Sheheen appeared gracious in taking the endorsement from one his his chief rivals, saying, “Both Mullins and I believe that it’s time for new ideas and a new generation of leadership in the governor’s office. We share a vision for a South Carolina with strong public schools, well-paying jobs, and a government that works for the people. I’m grateful to have Mullins on our team as we work to restore hope in South Carolina and make our state a place we can be proud of again.”
Whether or not Supt. of Ed. Jim Rex or Sen. Robert Ford would like to admit it, the race is essentially between Sheheen and attorney Dwight Drake. Drake congratulated McLeod on his efforts, then said in a statement, “The choice in this election is now even more clear. While my other opponents have spent time ignoring the state’s mounting fiscal problems and our rising unemployment, I have a proven record of getting things done and creating jobs.”
McLeod leaves the race with the second-most cash-on-hand. He said that his campaign is still deciding what will be done with the money still in his account. And though anything could happen between now and the primary, the smart money is on Sheheen to become the Democratic nominee.
