Greenville GOP convention delegates give Santorum their vote

Let's hope he's the nominee of the party! That should make it easy enough.

What startled me was seeing the coverage on Fox News. Since when did the Greenville County GOP become a subsidiary of Fox? I guess since Senator DeMint started calling the Tea Party shots.

I'm always babbling on this blog that I live in the most conservative county in the country... and I think many of you believe I exaggerate. Well, Patrick Haddon says as much, below (see italics). I told you so!

Depressing but true. (And as regular readers know, I blame a certain family named BOB JONES for that.)

Former senator wins 31 percent of straw poll vote; Gingrich places 2nd
By Rudolph Bell • Staff Writer • Greenville News
Published: April 10. 2011

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum was the runaway winner to challenge President Barack Obama next year in a straw poll Saturday at the Greenville County Republican Party convention.

Delegates gave Santorum 126 votes, or 31 percent, shortly after he spoke at the Carolina First Center during his 14th trip to South Carolina since late 2009. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who also spoke at the convention, placed second with 59 votes, or 14 percent.

Tied for third with 29 votes each were two potential presidential candidates who didn't attend: Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and New York dealmaker and media personality Donald Trump.

The pair outscored Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, who did speak at the convention, and captured 22 votes to place sixth.

...

Several longtime Republicans said they were surprised at Santorum's margin, but not [Greenville County GOP chairman Patrick] Haddon, who chalked it up to the former senator's social conservatism.

Greenville County is the most socially conservative part of South Carolina “and probably the country,” Haddon said.

He said Santorum no doubt made inroads with frequent visits to Greenville in recent months, “but in the end it really has to do with beliefs and being able to gel with the people in this room.”

Greenville County Councilman Joe Dill, who voted for Gingrich, said he was surprised by the straw poll results.

“Gingrich, some people think that he has baggage, but I don't feel that way,” Dill said, referring to the former speaker's admitted affairs and three marriages. “I think he's got a chance to really help this country. But really I'm not supporting anybody right now.”

After speaking in Greenville, Barbour, Gingrich and Santorum traveled to Spartanburg to speak at that county's GOP convention.

South Carolina typically gets lots of attention from presidential aspirants, particularly Republicans, because of its first-in-the-South primary.

Greenville, South Carolina's most populous county, accounted for more than 13 percent of the vote during the state's 2008 GOP presidential primary, far more than any other county.

No Huckabee and no Palin. No Michele Bachmann. I'd say we was dissed, boys and girls.

We'll see what happens at the much-ballyhooed Republican debate next month. Hopefully, not much.