On Friday, Senator Richard Burr of NC announced his endorsement of John McCain for President and now former NC governor, Jim Martin, just announced his endorsement of McCain.
U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced that former North Carolina Governor Jim Martin supports the Arizona Senator's presidential candidacy. In addition, Martin will serve as a state steering committee member for Senator McCain's presidential campaign in North Carolina.
I don't know how much these kind of endorsements help, but they sure don't hurt, especially when so many of those in SC (especially the border counties) are familiar with NC politicians like Martin, who was one of only two Republican governors of the state in my lifetime. He served six terms in the U.S. House before that.
I have a feeling the South Carolina primary is going to be every bit as important this time around as it was in 2000, so expect to see candidates racking up more and more endorsements from politicians and personalities from this region.
Update: My post title might be a bit confusing. These endorsements are big names in NC. I realize that many outside of NC would not know who our former governor and sitting Senator are. Around here, though, those are some pretty big GOP political figures. Only Liddy Dole and Jesse Helms (the biggest of all) come to mind as names of living GOP politicians more recognizable.
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2008 Presidential Race, McCain
Comments (2)
I doubt NC endorsements wil... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Jim Addison | March 12, 2007 5:09 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I doubt NC endorsements will have any effect at all in SC. The key endorsement for McCain is Lindsey Graham. Those who love Graham will most likely go for McCain, the rest of us won't.
State polling shows McCain steady at around 35%, followed by Giuliani at 29% now, Gingrich at 11%, and Romney under 10% with none of the others making any noise. 18% are still undecided.
McCain won about 42% in the 2000 primary, so at the least we can say his support appears to have eroded by some 16% or more. That can't be encouraging for him. It's doubtful he will pull many of the undecideds - he is already very well known and has visited the state often in the last six years.
If McCain can repeat his win from 2000 in NH, he may not need SC. But in both NH and SC in 2000, the Democratic Primary wasn't a real contest. Bradley was toast from the start and everyone knew it, and both states permit crossover voting. McCain drew strongly from independents and Democrats in both in 2000, but with a hot contest on the Democratic side this cycle, nearly all those Democrats and at least a portion of the McCain independents will be voting on that side this time around.
If McCain fails to win either NH or SC, he's finished. The money will dry up quicker than moisturizer on Maureen Dowd's face.
1. Posted by Jim Addison | March 12, 2007 5:09 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 12, 2007 17:09
2. Posted by ChrstnHsbndFthr | March 13, 2007 11:23 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
McCain doesn't stand a chance. It does seem strange that Burr, a true conservative, would endorse McCain. I simply do not trust this man. He has not been with us when we needed him.
Martin's endorsement carries even less weight.
If a real conservative does not emerge soon, we will have President Guliani or Clinton.
2. Posted by ChrstnHsbndFthr | March 13, 2007 11:23 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 13, 2007 11:23