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BUT AT LEAST SHE BACKED THIS GUY’S CAMPAIGN!
I’m not at all surprised that Charleston gay rights activist Linda Ketner was laughed off by most South Carolina Republicans when she declared that she would run against fourth-term U.S. Congressman Henry Brown this November. If it wasn’t for the fact that her daddy founded the Food Lion grocery chain leaving her a pretty nice inheritance to blow on an election, they probably wouldn’t have even taken the time to laugh.
That’s because Ketner’s record shows that she’s probably a little too far left for communist China under Chairman Mao, much less South Carolina in 2008. Besides founding one of South Carolina’s two pro-gay groups and serving as a board member on the other (that won’t play well with moderates, conservatives or the African American base that comprises more than 50 percent of the state’s Democrat Party), Ketner has given nearly $200,000 to Democrats and leftist groups. And the list of recipients would make all but die-hard liberals cringe.
Since 2002, Ketner has given $105,400 to the Democrat National Committee. She dropped another $33,750 into Democrat Congressional Committees. She also made eight donations totaling $7,500 to the Democrat’s sexist, pro-abortion slush fund EMILY’s List. On top of that, she contributed $1,800 to the Human Rights Campaign which, contrary to its name, only focuses on the rights of homosexuals.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
And Ketner, who is from North Carolina, seems to prefer funding candidates from other states over those from South Carolina. She has given a total of $12,660 to out-of-state politicians including Howard Dean, Dick Gephardt, Dianne Feinstein and the guy from Colorado with the greatest health care campaign ad ever (above), compared to only $8,350 to in-state office-seekers.
It should also be noted that all of the Palmetto State politicians she has backed were running for a federal post. A search of the State Ethics Commission’s website returned no results for statewide or local contributions from Ketner. Not one.
So not only is she way too liberal for the overwhelming majority of South Carolina voters, but she apparently cares more about people in other states than those in this state. Needless to say, if Brown — who beat his 2006 Democrat opponent by 22 points — decides it’s worth the effort to run a campaign against Ketner, all he’ll have to do is drop one or two bits of oppo-research and she’ll be lucky to get 25 percent of the vote.
But I think I know why Ketner is running what is sure to be a doomed campaign. It’s not for political or ideological reasons. It’s not for the money because she surely has enough of that. It’s not even for the name recognition.
No, this is personal. You see, prior to becoming a Congressman, Henry Brown spent 27 years working for Piggly Wiggly, retiring as the chain’s Carolina vice president. Folks, what we have here is a grocery store vendetta.
Who wants to take bets on how long it takes Harden Gervais to comment on this post?
Not too long, McLovin. I’m sure Newsweek loves your homophobic diatribe. Then again, I suppose they do need a blogger representing the intolerant views of many Southern conservatives.
Oooooh, “McLovin.” I get it, like in Superbad where the character’s named Fogell but they call him McLovin. Man, you’re hilarious! Did you think that up all on your own? How original!
But what else should we expect from the inspired mind that took a crappy intersection in Columbia and used it as he/she/it’s pseudonym? Brilliant!
As far as this post being “homophobic,” that’s pretty much the response I anticipated. You uber-lefties love to chastise anyone who presents homosexuality as anything short of a Holy, praiseworthy practice that should be revered and placed atop the world’s largest pedestal.
So if I say something like “she founded one of South Carolina’s two pro-gay groups” and have the audacity to suggest such a thing could be detrimental to her campaign in South Carolina, then you people wave your magic wand and label it a “homophobic diatribe.” Are you sure I’m the “intolerant” one in this situation?
Plus, I never really said that I had a problem with gay people, because I don’t. I just realistically pointed out that this lady has no chance in hell of getting elected in this state with her “credentials.” Because she doesn’t. That’s not a value statement about the gay community, it’s a reaction to reality.
Sorry to get under your skin, McLovin. But when you go after a woman because she supports equal rights for “teh gheys,” it sends up a red flag. Calling EMILY’s List a slush fund was nice, as well. God knows your friends know a thing or two about slush funds. BTW, how’s things going at SCRG and the S.C. Club for Growth these days?
Also, seriously, I know some YR types have a really bad sense of humor, but getting one sometime soon might be a good idea.
If the GOP is laughing, it is nervous laughter. They know that the First District has the greatest chance of flipping of all congressional districts. In a year with higher than usual Democratic participation, and lower than normal GOP turnout this could be a very bad year on the coast for the Republicans.
Charleston County independents have broken more and more to the Dem side recently and that has the GOP worried; their worst nightmare is that a Democrat with some money and a decent reputation comes along and gives Henry a race. Henry could duck his previous opposition, but Ketner’s civic reputation and the financial resources make her a legitimate threat. Ol’ Henry is going to have to open his mouth and finally explain his backing of oil rigs off coastal South Carolina, and his peculiar negotiating strategies with the Francis Marion forest folks. I doubt he will debate, we all know why…. But it should be interesting to see what “The Republican Workhorse” plans to do now that there is a distinct possibility of both houses of congress and 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. being in Democratic hands.
Are Ketner’s views more liberal than my own? Maybe; As far as I know she has not put out any position papers. Like most folks I could give two sh—‘s about what gay people do; so trying to label her as a left-wing extremist does not work for me. Will I vote for her over Henry Brown? In a heartbeat. “The Workhorse” has an excellent staff to make up for the lack of leadership missing from the First District, but even the Republicans around here think he is not fit for the job anymore.
Maybe in the Upstate gay marriage still has some legs but I can assure you, while some may bite, in the Lowcountry voters (independents and many GOP) are more concerned about the environment, taxes and congestion. Most people are tired of the grandstanding and the personal bedroom stories; especially when hypocrisy abounds.
I know of Linda from her work with charities in town and she has been very passionate about helping people for a long time; I do not know all of her positions and I would have liked to have seen Robert Barber run (he would trounce Henry) but, needless to say, think Linda is a tremendous person.
I imagine Shealy is salivating all over his ugly shirt about going dirty, but I am not convinced that people are only interested in that. This may be an interesting race.
Besides, wouldn’t it be a nice change to elect someone who is already out of the closet?