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SELF-FUNDED ATTORNEY ODDS-ON FAVORITE TO WIN DEMOCRAT NOMINATION
The long-rumored Senatorial campaign of Rock Hill attorney Chad McGowan became a reality Monday.
McGowan, who runs one of the most successful litigation firms in the state, said he would be challenging U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint in next November’s general election as a Democrat.
“In the last ten years, our national debt has doubled to nearly twelve trillion dollars,” McGowan continued. “It keeps going up no matter which party is in charge. It’s wrong. And if we don’t stop it, this debt is going to wreck our great country.”
McGowan would first have to win the Democratic primary, but he already appears to have the support of his party’s establishment.
One Democratic leadership aide in Washington told CNN: “Is DeMint more vulnerable than [Richard] Burr or David [Vitter]? Probably not. But McGowan is a self-funder and from the right part of the state. He could give a Republican a run for his money.”
Also working in McGowan’s favor is the fact that’s not a liberal. Although he is running as a Democrat, McGowan said he voted for Republicans Lindsey Graham and John McCain in 2008 and even cast his ballot in the GOP primary.
But McGowan still faces a nearly impossible battle.
DeMint has a war chest of over $3 million and extremely high approval ratings among Republicans, which comprise the majority of voters in South Carolina.
“I’ve fought all my life against some very powerful interests,” McGowan said. “I’ve fought for people who couldn’t fight these interests all by themselves. I intend to take that fight for people right to Washington.”
It is going to take some convincing before I believe this isn’t just another opportunist like Bob Conley in 2008. His reason for voting in the Republican Presidential Primary in 2008 was bogus. There was a really competitive race between Hillary and Obama, and he went and voted GOP???
I think he just thought he’d get a free pass against Mike Ruckes and might have a shot at being a U.S. Senator. We need a real Democrat to run for U.S. Senate. I mean the guy has only lived in SC since 2005.
mcGowan is a good guy and is a middle of the road south carolinian. I had a chance to meet him last year, and he was very witty and smart and just genuinely nice. I look forward to hearing his views, as I cannot think Jim Demints represent the majority of South Carolinians.
Actually, Mr. MCGowan grew up in Irmo and spent most of his life in SC. He lived in Charlotte for a while, but he works in SC where his law firm is. He now resides again in the Rock Hill area….which was iot not for Carowinds, I wouldn’t know the difference
Paul #1 is an idiot. Chad Mcgowan has lived in SC for 30 of his 38 years. 3 of which were in law school. He has always worked in SC, but lived in Charlotte for 3 years. You idiots do realize that Rock Hill is right on the border of NC and thousands of people commute across the border in that area for work, right?
We have the most extreme right wing zealot as our senator and you guys are griping about his challenger living in NC for 3 years? Republicans bitch about SC Dems being too left wing and now we have a guy whos voted and donated to BOTH parties and now he’s not left wing enough???
What do you people want???
I have watched and listened. It seems that McGowans program is only to attack DeMint, not have any sort of plan for anything other than his personal power. I would rather DeMint do nothing than to put someone into office that is only going to dig a hole further into my pocket and promoth a Socialist agenda.
Josh, how about a little reality coupled with just a little bit of good judgement. That would be nice.