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Article published Jan 1, 2007

County GOP plans straw poll March 1
JASON SPENCER, Staff Writer

Spartanburg County Republicans will hold a straw poll for the 2008 presidential primary on March 1, the night party faithful elect precinct officers and take the first steps toward becoming county delegates -- and possibly state delegates -- local GOP Chairman Rick Beltram said Sunday.

The straw poll, along with an "issues caucus" in late February, should put Spartanburg County "smack in the middle of national politics, and that's exactly where we want to be," Beltram said.

"We think we can give some guidance to the campaigns by giving them some information as to what likely Republican voters will be thinking on March 1."

The county GOP has orchestrated such polls in the past, notably for the governor's race in 2001 and a U.S. Senate race in 2003. Those events drew about 1,000 people.

But because of the early interest in the 2008 presidential race, Beltram is predicting between 1,500 and 2,000 people turn out for the poll on March 1.

Several presidential contenders have (or will have) staff or volunteers encouraging people to attend their local precinct meeting that night, which should help turnout, Beltram said.

"That's a novel idea," state GOP Chairman Katon Dawson said. "I can see Rick figuring that out. That certainly is the grassroots of all grassroots, on the neighborhood level."

Dawson estimated that Republican presidential contenders would spend up to a collective $40 million in South Carolina during their primary campaigns.

He declined to comment on whether a statewide straw poll would be held. In May, the first televised debate among Republican contenders will be held from Columbia, and the state GOP convention will be held that same week.

"There are pros and cons to straw polls," Dawson said.

"It creates a lot of energy and excitement. It helps add to the delegate process. Straw poll winners aren't always indicative of what's going to happen in a full-blown primary, but they are a lot of fun."

The straw poll in Spartanburg County will allow write-in candidates, as some potential contenders -- like former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich -- might not have announced their intentions yet, Beltram said. But by mid-January, most other Republican hopefuls should have announced, if they haven't already, he said.

Many of them already have supporters across the county and the state.

Giuliani, former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney all have volunteers in Spartanburg County.

Others, like U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., or Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee have either paid or volunteer people on the state level. McCain in particular has amassed an army of endorsements from elected officials, including state Speaker Pro Tem Doug Smith, R-Spartanburg, whose support was announced last week.

And even some of the lesser-known candidates have gotten local attention, most notably U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who has the backing of textile magnate Roger Milliken.

Beltram often cites the importance of Greenville, Spartanburg and Lexington counties when it comes to Republican politics.

The county straw poll would "give average citizens an immediate opportunity to have input into the process," he said.