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The last time a sitting governor lost reelection in South Carolina was in 1876. Republican incumbent David Beasley is in the fight of his political life to keep it that way. In what has shaped up to be one of the most dramatic races of the year, Democratic challenger Jim Hodges gambled on an issue (education) and parlayed some fortuitous timing into a position from where he could defeat a GOP golden boy in a state that had recently become one of the most reliably Republican.

A telegenic politician with close ties to the Christian right, Beasley has held elected office since he was 20 years old. Originally elected as a Democrat, he switched parties in 1991. Although he was elected in 1994 with only a slim margin, he successfully pushed much of his agenda through the legislature. He cut spending, created jobs and passed welfare reform.

Beasley's troubles began in November 1996, when he changed his position on the confederate flag and called for it to be removed from the statehouse. An emotional issue in South Carolina, Beasley angered many in his own party, and in January 1997, the GOP-controlled House killed his proposal to move the flag.

The other issue that has come to haunt Beasley is his opposition to video poker, which is legal in South Carolina. The Republican Governors' Association estimates that gambling interests have poured $8-10 million into the state in an attempt to defeat Beasley.

In this campaign, the gambling industry has sided with Hodges and pumped money into his war chest to ful his battle against Beasley. Hodges has made education the cornerstone of his campaign with his main proposal being a lottery for better schools.

Character also became an issue in the campaign. Just as the Beasley campaign compared Hodges with Clinton, the tables turned on Beasley. Rumors began swirling about possible infidelity, potentially devastating for a family values Republican, and Time magazine published a story about how Democratic operatives were preparing to depose Beasley about an alleged affair.

Beasley and his pregnant wife called a press conference to deny the affair. It served to stifle whispers of an affair, but it was too late to stomp out the larger story that Beasley's reelection was endangered.

The most recent public polls were taken before the main events unfolded, but the Beasley camp believes that they have stopped the hemorrhaging. If the race is close, as it is expected to be, Libertarian candidate Timothy Moultrie could play a factor by picking up some disaffected voters. Both sides are anxious to see how the dice will roll.

Jim DeMint (R) --age 47
Businessman/GOP Activist/Fmr Inglis Campaign
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