Republican Gov. David Beasley.AP/FILE

Governor hopefuls travel state

Time for converting votes past as candidates remind party loyalists to get out and vote Tuesday

Web posted November 2, 1998

By Jesse J. Holland
Associated Press

COLUMBIA -- If you haven't decided who to vote for in the South Carolina governor's race, Republican Gov. David Beasley and Democratic challenger Jim Hodges aren't aiming their message at you, even though they'd sure like your vote.

Both men instead will travel the state today energizing their political bases and reminding as many people as possible to vote, political scientists say.

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``The days of conversion are over,'' Francis Marion political scientist Neal Thigpen said. ``Now they have to worry about getting their own voters to the polls.''

A Mason-Dixon poll last week showed the race between the incumbent governor and the former House Minority Leader to be a statistical dead heat. However, one of every 10 likely voters asked by the pollsters had not yet made up their minds in that race.

Mr. Thigpen and Clemson political scientist Charles Dunn said those undecided voters traditionally vote 2-1 for the challenger, if they decide to vote at all. But since no one knows who these voters are, the candidates won't waste time trying to target a message to them, even though those undecided votes could swing the race, Mr. Dunn said.

``There's not much you can do directly to influence these voters, so you just stick to your message to the party faithful and keep going,'' Mr. Dunn said. ``At this point, you have to get your base vote out.''

Democrat Jim Hodges is challenging to become governor of South Carolina.AP/FILE

The candidates took Sunday morning easy, with Mr. Beasley at Shandon Baptist Church with his family listening to Pastor Dick Lincoln, who will be nominated next week for the presidency of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.

Mr. Hodges' campaign wouldn't even tell reporters which Columbia churches he attended that morning. ``They're places of worship, not of politics,'' spokesman George Shelton said.

Not everyone passed up the chance to score some political points in church. Supporters of write-in candidate Bobby Eubanks, a strong anti-abortion activist, blanketed cars parked at Columbia churches with anti-Beasley messages, saying the Republican governor has used state money to fund ``immoral, unbiblical activities.''

Mr. Beasley and Mr. Hodges were scheduled to meet Sunday night in the final debate of the election year at the South Carolina Education Television studios in Columbia.