Politics 2005

Human Events, Jul 4, 2005 by Gizzi, John

The younger Campbell has had previous clashes with Bauer, with whom he attended the University of South Carolina. When then-state legislator Bauer was a John McCain booster in the 2000 South Carolina primary, Campbell and his family were vigorous Bushmen. When Bauer, as lieutenant governor, suggested that the state trade with Cuba, Campbell wrote an angry op-ed piece denouncing any dealings with Castro's totalitarian regime.

But perhaps the sharpest difference between Campbell and the incumbent is their view of the office, which pays less than $50,000 a year for presiding over the state Senate (which meets three days a week for six months out of the year).

"My opponent would keep the office a part-time job presiding over the Senate," Campbell told me. "Taxpayers deserve more bang for their buck. I want to see the office transformed into an extension of major executive business, as it is in other states such as Texas." Campbell would like to take on additional duties, such as overseeing homeland security, economic development or coming up with a means of dealing with the crushing cost of Medicaid.

Given the outpouring of affection for his father and the conservative vs. moderate nature of the primary,-Campbell has been getting considerable heavyweight support for the race. Former Oklahoma Gov. (19:94r2002) Frank Keating, who succeeded Carroll Campbell as head of the ACLI, will host a fund-raising event for Mike. Republican Senators Judy Gregg (N.H.) and Thad Cochran (Miss.) and Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi have also sent checks to the Campbell coffers.

Short Takes

Oh, Brother: Although White House Press secretary Scott McClellan ruled out going back to Texas to manage his mother's just-announced challenge to Republican Gov. Rick Perry (see "Politics 2005," last week), state Comptroller Carole Strayhorn will nonetheless have family oversight in the primary. She announced last week that her primary bid will be run by another son: Brad McClellan brother of Scott and Medicare chief Dr. Mark McClellan. Brad is currently an assistant state attorney general.

Party Time in Colorado: After the resignation of Ted Halaby as Republican state chairman, the sole candidate to succeed him had been Vice Chairman Chuck Broerman. But when GOP National Committeeman Bob Martinez decided he wanted the party helm, Broerman quickly withdrew and the GOP unanimously rallied to Martinez. A Vietnam veteran, Martinez owns a construction company in Douglas County and is considered a strong conservative.

More exciting to conservatives was the return to politics of former Rep. (1996-2002) Bob Schaffer, who was elected national committeeman to succeed Martinez. A stalwart conservative (lifetime American Conservative Union rating: 100%) who lived up to this three-term pledge in Congress, the 43-year-old Schaffer lost the GOP primary for U.S. senator last year. Since then, he has been a leader in the school voucher movement and in organizing an outside group to attract fresh blood to the Republican Party.