While Most Eyes Are on N.H., Thompson Focuses on S.C.
LEXINGTON, S.C. -- While all of the presidential candidates are asking for votes today, most of them are doing it in New Hampshire. Fred Thompson is doing the same thing – only he's 972 miles away, in South Carolina. "This is where I have chosen to make my stand," he told a crowd of around 60 at a rally in Lexington. "I need your help."
After saying he was not competitive in New Hampshire, Thompson kicked off his 11-day tour of South Carolina today. It's a crucial state for him if he wants to continue his candidacy. "I need to do very well here, there's no question about that," he said. "It's extremely important."
A leader in the South Carolina polls two months ago, the most recent numbers have him in third behind Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney. "I think he will easily take over Romney. Huckabee's going to be another matter," said Todd Yeomans, a self-described evangelical voter from Greenville. "Having the evangelical base here in South Carolina, Mike Huckabee is very appealing. But I think once his actual social stances on taxes and illegal immigration reform, things like that come out, I think Fred is going to take him over, if people will do their homework."
That's a big if.
Thompson's plans on Social Security, illegal immigration, and national defense have generally been well-received by conservative commentators, while Mike Huckabee has been criticized on his tax policies and lack of foreign policy experience. But that didn't seem to matter to the voters in Iowa, where he won the caucus by a wide margin, beating Romney by nine points and Thompson by 21. Huckabee is also ahead of Thompson by close to 20 points in South Carolina, according to recent polls here.
That's not dissuading his supporters, though. "I think it's an open game for everybody right now," said Susanne Mroz. "If people would just hear him, then he would be able to beat Huckabee."
Thompson has more than 30 events planned before the January 19th primary, giving South Carolinians plenty of opportunities to see if they like what they hear. "This is home territory," he said. "This is more conducive than Iowa was for me; there are greater possibilities here for me than for anybody else in the race."