Tea Partiers and outsiders triumph in SC primary elections

Nikki Haley won the Republican nomination for governor of South Carolina on Tuesday while other GOP candidates in the state won as "outsiders."

In two of the three Republican run-offs for open U.S. House districts, candidates who ran as conservative “outsiders” defeated opponents perceived as more moderate “establishment” Republicans. Rep. Bob Inglis was defeated for renomination in the 4th District after his votes and actions upset conservatives, and anti-spending conservative Tim Scott, an African-American, in the 1st District, defeated the son of GOP legend, the late Sen. Strom Thurmond.

Challenger Trey Gowdy rolled up 71% of the vote against six-termer Inglis and Scott won 74% of the vote against Paul Thurmond.

Only in the 3rd District were the results less than clear cut. Richard Cash, owner of a fleet of ice cream trucks and pro-life leader, led State Rep. Jeff Duncan in the initial primary. Last night, however, Duncan bounced back and apparently won the run-off with 51% of the vote. Where Cash was the outsider and favorite of cultural conservatives, Duncan nonetheless had good conservative credentials of his own. As a legislator, he had sponsored pro-gun measures and tough bills dealing with illegal immigration.

To no one’s surprise, 38-year-old State Rep. Haley won the gubernatorial runoff by a margin of nearly 2-to-1 over Rep. Gresham Barrett. In many ways, their contest was also symbolic of the trend in GOP primaries this year of “outsiders” overcoming “the establishment.” Haley, who had the least experience in office (and the smallest campaign kitty) of any of the four GOP hopefuls in the initial primary earlier this month, won last night through the backing of younger voters and the Tea Party movement. Barrett had the backing of the state Chamber of Commerce and much of the business community.

Dem leader: Tea Party stirs retirement thoughts

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters today that the Tea Party movement is making some members of Congress mull retirement.

“Do I think the negative atmosphere that has been created by the Tea Party and by others certainly goes into the thinking of members? I think it does. I think you have to honestly point out that it does,” he told reporters Tuesday.

Hoyer was responding to questions about Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak’s decision last week to retire rather than seek another term. Stupak had led a group of pro-life Democrats who opposed the health care bill through much of the debate, arguing that its anti-abortion provisions were too weak.

Under heavy pressure from the White House and party leaders, Stupak struck a last-minute deal that secured enough votes for the bill to pass the House. His actions ended up ticking off both liberal and conservative groups.

Conservative MP launches Brit tea party

Americans support Brit protesters

The inaugural British Tea Party will take place on Saturday in my home town of Brighton, and I’ll be speaking. Do try to come: here are the details.

Labour has raised more than a trillion pounds in additional taxation since 1997. Yet, unbelievably, Gordon Brown has still managed to run up a deficit of 12.6 per cent of GDP (Greece’s is 12.7 per cent). A far lower level of taxation brought Americans out in spontaneous protest last year.