SENATOR SPEAKS AT ANDERSON CONVENTION, GIVES TRIAL GUBERNATORIAL STUMP SPEECH

For months now, Gov. Mark Sanford has reportedly been looking for a candidate to toss into the 2010 governor’s race.

Names like Rep. Nikki Haley (R-Lexington) and Sen. Tom Davis (R-Beaufort) have been frequently vetted through the blog of former Sanford spokesman Will Folks.

But sources say that Sen. Larry Grooms (R-Berkeley) may end up being the long-awaiting “Sanford candidate.”

Sen. Danny Verdin (R-Laurens), who is close to both Sanford and Grooms, confirmed that the Berkeley senator is giving a gubernatorial bid “serious consideration.”

Verdin said, “I think the race is wide open at this point and the fact that a Lowcountry Republican is looking at it adds an interesting dynamic to the whole thing.”

Although Grooms and Sanford haven’t always been friendly, Grooms has, of late, been a reliable ally for the governor.

That recent partnership has been the cause of more than a few rumors in South Carolina political circles — rumors which were given substantial weight when Grooms trekked up to Anderson Monday night to speak at the County Republican Party Convention.

For those of you with a map, Anderson County is located well outside Grooms’ Lowcountry district. So why did he venture so far north?

“He sounded like a man running for governor,” said one convention attendee. “He didn’t announce, but it sure sounded like he was trying out his stump speech.”

And that’s something Verdin would like to see happen more often.

“He’s made for leadership and I’ve strongly encouraged him to make the run for governor,” Verdin said. “He certainly hasn’t said yes, but I’m glad he hasn’t said no.”

Attempts to immediately contact Grooms for comment were unsuccessful.