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Index Journal | Greenwood, SC | News
Huckabee first in Lakelands, McCain second
Saturday, January 19, 2008 10:50 PM EST
Voters in the Lakelands closely mirrored their counterparts throughout the Palmetto State in Saturday’s Republican presidential primary.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Arizona Sen. John McCain ran neck and neck in the region, with McCain holding a slight edge.
Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson was a distant third. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was the fourth-leading vote-getter, with Texas Rep. Ron Paul rounding out the top five. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who largely ignored South Carolina to focus on the upcoming Florida primary, finished sixth in the Lakelands.
Across the Lakelands, Huckabee edged McCain in Greenwood County.
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In a hotly contested race, Huckabee garnered 2,295 votes in Greenwood, while McCain picked up 2,262 votes. Connie Moody, director of elections and voter registration, said Huckabee slipped past McCain toward the end of the vote tallying.
“McCain looked like he had it the whole time,” Moody said. “Then, at the end, Huckabee slipped right on in there.”
A total of 6,807 votes were cast on a cold and rainy Saturday in Greenwood.
Former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson placed third in the county, netting 1,057 votes. Moody said the results will be certified at 10 a.m. Thursday at Park Plaza.
Others receiving votes included Thompson 1,057, Romney 847, Paul 220, Giuliani 97, Duncan Hunter 25, John Cox 2 and Tom Tancredo 2.
IN SALUDA COUNTY, McCain beat Huckabee 778-589. Thompson was a distant third with 279 votes. Romney garnered 200 votes, and Paul rounded out the top five with 73 votes.
Other vote-getters included Giuliani 19, Cox two and Hunter one. Tancredo was on the ballot, but didn’t receive any votes.
IN ABBEVILLE COUNTY, which is considered the birthplace of the Confederacy, Huckabee placed first with 905 votes. The former Baptist minister was the only Republican front-runner not to call for the removal of the Confederate flag from the state capitol grounds – an issue that has drawn national attention, as well as an NAACP boycott, for years here.
“You don’t like people from outside the state coming in and telling you what to do with your flag,” Huckabee told supporters Thursday in Myrtle Beach. “In fact, if somebody came to Arkansas and told us what to do with our flag, we’d tell ’em what to do with the pole, that’s what we’d do.”
McCain earned 540 votes. Thompson had 355, Romney 207, Paul 102 and Giuliani 11.
IN McCORMICK COUNTY, McCain won with 411 votes. Huckabee finished second with 237 [ only six votes more than Romney. Thompson was fourth with 181. Guiliani received 33 votes and Paul 21.