Spratt has spent significant resources to establish a reputation in South Carolina as a moderate Democrat. Though Republicans paint him as a liberal Democrat, both Spratt and Minority Leader Pelosi claim he is Assistant to the Minority Leader because he is not a liberal. They claim he does not vote the way she does, that he brings fresh ideas to the Democratic table. The State, South Carolina’s largest newspaper, called John Spratt "a bridge-builder who can reach across party lines." Congressman Spratt even helped negotiate Newt Gingrich’s and President Clinton’s 1997 Balanced Budget Agreement. "That's one of the advantages of establishing a reputation and personality among your constituents," he said. "People know where I'm coming from. ... I'm very much in the mainstream."
Congressman Spratt also uses his seniority to help the 5th District. He brings home the pork. In a state that was hit hard—despite the seniority of Thurmond and Hollings—during the 1990s version of Base Realignment and Closure Hearings, Spratt protected Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina through several rounds of Base Realignment and Closure hearings. National Journal featured him on its cover as "a stand-out" in Congress, comparing his legislative skills to the "best infielders in baseball."
Congressman Spratt has not faced serious opposition in several election cycles. According to the South Carolina Election Commission, Spratt’s lowest showing in recent years was 54% of the vote in 1996, running against Larry Bigham. Since then, he has defeated the Republican challenger with, give-or-take a few points, 60% of the vote. In 2002, the Republican Party did not even field a candidate.
In This Corner, Wearing The Red
Ralph Norman is a first-term member in the South Carolina House of Representatives. In 2004, he won a three-way primary with 54% of the vote. Not long after, the White House came calling.
Republicans are serious about defeating Congressman Spratt. They recognize that unseating entrenched, powerful incumbents takes more than state dollars and local efforts. That’s why President Bush has graciously allowed Nathan Hollifield, a staff assistant who managed Bush’s ’04 campaign in Tampa, Florida, to manage Norman’s campaign.
Norman will also benefit from a stream of 2008 presidential hopefuls making visits to South Carolina in preparation for its First-In-The-South primary. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Senators George Allen and John McCain, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani all will be headlining Norman events in 2006. One can also hope that President Bush will make a trip to South Carolina to lend a helping hand to Norman. The combination of these powerful national Republicans should raise some serious dollars for Norman.
South Carolina’s Republican delegation also supports Norman. “This is a lucky guy,” said South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson, who is joined by the four other Republican House members in support of Norman. Senators Graham and DeMint have also endorsed Norman, indicating that the GOP wants to move beyond a primary contest with Park Gillespie and focus solely on unseating Spratt.
The Ring
Spratt’s campaign claims that the 5th District is even friendlier to him, demographically, after the 2000 census than the one he represented in 1994, the last time he faced a serious challenger. However, Republicans point to the changing trends of the 5th in recent elections. Suburbs of both Charlotte and Columbia—Republican-leaning suburbs—are sweeping into the 5th, transforming boll-weevil Democrat territory into a fertile field for Norman. Statewide, only one Democrat, perennial state Treasurer Grady Patterson, will be seeking re-election, while every other Constitutional office is already held by a Republican. This should influence turnout.
Spratt has never run against a Republican who raised enough money to run television in the expensive Charlotte media market. But Norman out-raised Spratt in the FEC’s fourth quarter of 2005, two-to-one. Spratt understands Norman’s threat and is not surprised. "I fully expected this, he said. “Ralph has considerable assets. I do not take this race lightly by any means."
Since announcing his candidacy in mid-October, Norman has raised over $400,000, more than the last three Republican candidates combined. Spratt, on the other hand, raised just over $200,000. But Spratt still has far more cash available: $700,000 to $400,000. And Spratt’s incumbency has its advantages, too: He doesn’t have to spend money on name recognition and can expect significant help from Democratic operatives seeking to defend one of their last bastions of Southern power. Still, it might not be enough to stop Ralph Norman.