More returns

After Graham: With most political attention in South Carolina focused on former Rep. (1994-2000) Mark Sanford's capture of the Republican nomination for governor, the other key GOP run-off battle in the state was nearly overlooked by the media. Conservative State Rep. Gresham Barrett won the nomination in the open 3rd District (Aiken) over fellow state legislator Jim Klyber-- in part because of Barrett's endorsement from third-place primary finisher George Ducworth.

Barrett is now the odds-on favorite to succeed outgoing Rep. Lindsey Graham, now the Republican U.S. Senate nominee.

Aides' War Over: A most intriguing U.S. House nomination battle in Alabama ended with a run-off victory by Jo Bonner, longtime top aide to retiring Rep. Sonny Callahan (R.-Ala.). Bonner is trying to succeed his boss in the Mobile-based 1st District. The top finisher in the earlier six-candidate Republican primary, Bonner won the run-off by better than 3 to 2 over Tom Young, top aide to Sen. Richard Shelby (R.-Ala.). There were no real issue differences between the two conservative staffers-both of whom had the strong support of their respective bosses-but Bonner may have had an edge by living back in Mobile for the past five years. Young stayed in Washington, D.C., until he became a candidate.

Bonner is now a cinch in the fall to succeed nine-- termer Callahan (lifetime American Conservative Union rating: 93%).

Famosos Fall: Two of the most famous political names in Alabama met surprising defeats in the recent Republican primary.

Lisa Wallace, third wife of the late George C. Wallace, lost the Republican nod for state treasurer to Kay Ivey, onetime official with Merchants National Bank. The 57-year-old Ivey now faces the bearer of another famous Alabama name: Montgomery lawyer Stephen Black, grandson of late U.S. Supreme Court Justice (1937-71) Hugo L. Black. Because of Justice Black's rulings in favor of integration, his children and 13 grandchildren decided to avoid criticism by living and working outside the Yellowhammer State. Thirty-one-year-old Yale Law School graduate Stephen is the first of the Black heirs to return to Alabama.

In a stunning upset, 20-year State Rep. Perry Hooper, Jr. was beaten for renomination in his Montgomery district by insurance man and political newcomer David Grimes. The namesake-son of Alabama's first Republican chief justice, Hooper, 47, had long been considered a GOP star. He served on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and was floor leader for former Republican Gov. (1994-98) Fob James.

Hooper was caught off guard by Grimes' surprise attacks in the campaign, including last-minute charges that the lawmaker favored legalization of video poker (although opposed to the gaming mechanism, Hooper had backed allowing voters to decide its fate in a statewide referendum) and was guilty of ethics violations (Hooper had paid a fine because the state disclosure forms he was required to file arrived late).

Hooper told me after the election that he was not bitter about the results. "God tells us there is a time for everything," he said, noting that he looked forward to spending more time with his wife and his three children.

Last Word in Utah: One of the country's longest and most drawn out campaigns for a U.S. House nomination ended recently in Utah's 2nd District, where Republican Rep. James V. Hansen is stepping down after 22 years. Following a ten-candidate convention battle, the GOP race boiled down to two veteran pols-former House Speaker and State Party Chairman Rob Bishop and State Senate Majority Leader Kevin Garn-who qualified for the primary. Both men were likened to Hansen (lifetime ACU rating: 95%), but Garn's bad vote in the legislature on a key 2nd Amendment measure led the National Rifle Association and other gunowner groups to weigh in on behalf of his opponent. Bishop won -with about 52% of the vote and should hold the seat in the fall.

Buchananite Triumph in Iowa: For the first time since 1964, an unusual rule for nominating candidates in Iowa had to be applied in the 5th District, which Republican Rep. Tom Latham is leaving to run in the neighboring 4th District. When none of the four Republican candidates got 35% of the vote in the primary, a district convention had to be held to choose a nominee. The approximately 600 delegates who met June 29th, gave State Sen. Steve King-a backer of Pat Buchanan for President in 1996 and the top primary votegetter (30%)-the party endorsement. As in the primary, King had vigorous backing from pro-life, home-school, and gun-owner groups.

He is now a strong fall favorite in the 32-country district over Democrat Paul Shomshor, a Council Bluffs city councilman.

Copyright Human Events Publishing, Inc. Jul 15, 2002
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