Snow may help Huckabee in SC Republican primary

[Jenna]

Polling was set to begin in the South Carolina Republican presidential preference primary at 7 a.m. Saturday on a cold wet morning with a threat of snow.
The first primary in the South could be pivotal in the presidential race. The winner of every South Carolina GOP primary since 1980 has gone on to become the party’s nominee for the White House.
U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee led the polls going into the day, with Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney trailing.
The Democratic Party will hold its South Carolina primary next Saturday.
Polls will remain open until 7 p.m. today, but a bout of winter weather could put a damper on turnout.
The National Weather Service issued a snow advisory from 6 a.m. to midnight Saturday. Most areas in the Upstate were expected to receive 1 to 3 inches of snow.
Three inches might not phase Republican presidential candidates. But the weather has made local party officials, such as Bob Alexander of Tamassee, concerned.
“Here in South Carolina, at the threat of snow, people buy bread and milk and stay inside all day,” Mr. Alexander said.
The weather would most likely cause senior citizens, first-time voters, independents and those still wavering to stay home, according to political experts.
Low voter turnout could help former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, said Neal Thigpen, a Francis Marion University political scientist. Mr. Huckabee’s base is composed of evangelical Christians, who could represent roughly one-third of the voters in the primary, Mr. Thigpen said.
“Those folks will come out, it doesn’t matter whether tornadoes are whipping out there,” Mr. Thigpen said.

By Heidi Cenac (Contact)
Friday, January 18, 2008
Independent Mail, Anderson, South Carolina

http://www.independentmail.com/news/...cans-saturday/

[Five-0]

Mr. Huckabee’s base is composed of evangelical Christians, who could represent roughly one-third of the voters in the primary, Mr. Thigpen said.
“Those folks will come out, it doesn’t matter whether tornadoes are whipping out there,” Mr. Thigpen said.

Yeah because Christians are obviously crazy right?