U.S. Senate race outcome rides on recount

By JIM DAVENPORT
Associated Press Writer
Published: June 16, 2008

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) _ South Carolina election officials conducted a recount Monday to settle a squeaker of a Democratic primary as two rivals sought the right to face U.S. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in November.

Engineer Bob Conley of North Myrtle Beach led the primary with 1,049 votes against Mount Pleasant lawyer Michael Cone after 147,287 ballots were cast. South Carolina law requires a primary recount if a candidate wins by less than 1 percent.

The state Election Commission said it expected all county recounts after midday Monday.

Conley is a former Republican who switched parties out of frustration over trade and immigration policies and the Iraq invasion. He contends that conservative positions on social policies are not owned solely by Republicans.

While the recount could prompt a challenge with the state Democratic Party, Cone told The Associated Press last week he would let the results stand.

Conley’s office said he wasn’t immediately available for comment Monday.

The general election is expected to see Graham pressed to defend his support of federal immigration legislation that offered a pathway to citizenship. That stand prompted “boos” last year when Graham tried to explain it at a state GOP convention and brought him a challenger in the Republican primary.

Graham easily won his primary over Buddy Witherspoon, a retired orthodontist and former Republican National Committee member who accused Graham of being soft on illegal immigration. The incumbent said he wasn’t concerned about Conley making an issue of his immigration stand in the fall campaign.

Also Monday, recounts were under way for a state Senate race in which Democratic state Rep. John Scott held a 77-primary vote lead over Vince Ford. In a South Carolina House recount, Republican Joey Millwood had a 19-vote lead over state Rep. Bob Walker.