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Subscribe to RSSFreshman Republican Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC) held the first of a series of presidential town hall meetings yesterday -- this one featuring former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman. Before the event, he talked with NBC News about why he decided to host the series.
“This will give us an opportunity to have our eyes on the candidate for an hour,” Scott said. “Hopefully, people will walk away with more information about where the person stands on the issues, and more importantly get a sense of how the person responds to the issues.”
When asked why candidates should come to South Carolina now while so much attention is trained on Iowa and New Hampshire, Scott pointed to the Palmetto State’s history of choosing the eventual Republican presidential nominee.
“Fortunately, [candidates] understand that if you win the South Carolina primary, you typically -- since 1980 -- become the presidential nominee of the Republican Party. That said, everyone should want to come here,” he said.
Despite that track record, the rise of the Tea Party in the state, spearheaded by Sen. Jim DeMint, has prompted some observers to speculate whether voters might chose someone other than the Republican front-runner. Last Sunday, The State newspaper asked, “Is South Carolina GOP set to go rogue?”
Scott said that while the Tea Party finds “a natural home” in South Carolina, the state “isn’t simply a Tea Party state; it is a cross-section of all of America,” pointing to the increasing number of retirees from northern states who move to South Carolina’s warm-weather coast as an example of a constituency that might not vote for a Tea Party-affiliated candidate.
Scott also touched on the closeness between himself and the other three freshmen members of South Carolina’s Republican House delegation –- a dynamic which Politico recently referred to as “South Carolina vs. the world.”
Scott said that the similar voting pattern of constituents in each of their Republican districts means that they “typically vote in a very consistent manner.”
“It’s not because we get together and collaborate and leave with one monolithic view of the world. It’s that based on the process that we use to understand the issues, we typically come to the same conclusion.”
Rep. Scott’s town hall series will continue this month, with Rep. Michele Bachmann appearing on Aug. 25.
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From a prior First Read thread, I read that a member of the audience asked the rest of the audience how many of them would vote for a moderate. Very few in the audience raised their hands. Huntsman responded, "You know, everybody likes to put a label on somebody. I think that’s unfair. All I ask is that you look at my record.” When asked by NBC News after the town hall how he would appeal to Tea Party voters in the state, Huntsman simply said, “Just by being who I am.”
I love that response. I hope he sticks to his guns and doesn't change who he is. I think he would do very well in the general election against President Obama. Problem is that I am seeing it as less and less likely that he can get through the GOP primary. Of course, there is a looooong way to go still!!
Frank, every 4 years, liberals select whom they think is the least conservative GOP candidate and fall in love with him, politically. Just so you can beat up on the rest of the field as extremist. Ho Hum.
Jon Huntsman himself, a Utah Governor, strongly pro-life, said himself he was a conservative.
No doubt, if Huntsman gains traction in the race, you libs will immediately claim he is "pandering" to conservatives...
Ummmm...did you just call me a lib? Sorry, but I'm a conservative, albeit a moderate one, but a conservative nonetheless. I am looking for a candidate who isn't too extreme and most importantly can perform well in the general election. That's why, at least early on, I'm throwing my support behind former Gov. and Amb. Huntsman.
Well said, "Grimey". I agree, Huntsman needs to remain who he is instead of chasing the far right. Although I disagree with him on a number of issues, he isn't spouting crazy just to win. He may disagree with President Obama but he does so with respect for the man and the office. Huntsman is the best candidate in the GOP lineup only he'll never make it this time around.
Guess you fooled Bob numbers into thinking you were one of those evil liberals, Bob who thinks anyone who says something positive about a candidate is the enemy.
I'm hoping that Huntsman doesn't jump on the crazy train like the rest of the Republican-Tea Baggers running.
Grimey, I have a lot of respect for J. Hunstman. I think independents would vote for him and this election will be decided by moderates.
Congressman Tim Scott , the first black Republican elected to Congress from the South in more than 100 years, has a bright future in the GOP !
Aren't all the Republican 'contestants' required to sign some kind of pledge to some Me Firster before they can proceed to the next step in becoming the nominee?
Or at least hold some kind of prayer-event?
Huntsman has refused to sign any pledges, including Grover's pledge to the rich. Score 1 for him.
Freshman Republican Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC) held the first of a series of presidential town hall meetings yesterday and they're all touting their own BS in hopes of breaking out of the doldrums. There are no real leaders and no real solutions. All these TEA/GOP-ers want is to try to make President Obama a one-term president and they have no real plan but to tear down the government we have in an attempt to sabotage the presidency for president Obama. So far, they are failing with president Obama holding his own in South Carolina.
I've been following politics since the 60's and I have never seen either party decide that if destroying the economy and the country was the only way they could defeat the other side, they would do it. Sad, really sad.
Isn't this the same South Carolina that sank McCain's candidacy in 2000 with that horrible rumor that John and Cindy's adopted daughter was actually an illegitimate child from an affair John had with a black woman?
The very same, and the very same SC that was flying the Confederate flag.
Why does he have a bright furture Because he's black?
Ron Paul.
Ron Paul is the best out of the bunch. Too bad the right is not smart enough to see that. If they go for another idiot in 2012, my vote will stay with the demos.
Speakin of idiots, are you suggesting voting for one in the 2012 election!?
I think you should join us and register as a republican to vote Ron Paul for your GOP primary!