Thompson is holding hope

SUMTER, S.C. --- Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson is dismissing doubters and shrugging off other early primary states as he pins his campaign hopes on South Carolina.

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Associated Press

Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson of Tennessee takes center stage during a campaign stop at The Drive-In in Florence, S.C. The former senator is on a five-city bus tour.

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Associated Press

Mr. Thompson meets supporters at The Guignard Diner in Sumter, S.C., where he told the crowd, "What you see is what you get." The former senator is banking on a win in the primary.

"It's going to work out for me in South Carolina, and I'm not going to talk about any other scenario other than that," the former Tennessee senator and actor said during an Associated Press interview Wednesday, the second full day of his 11-day tour through the state.

"For me, I make my stand in South Carolina. And I need help from South Carolina and I need them to stand with me," he said.

Mr. Thompson finished last among GOP candidates the night before in New Hampshire. He said he didn't run a campaign there and was similarly writing off Michigan, but has stressed his third-place finish in Iowa's caucuses.

"Michigan is not nearly as significant to anybody as Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina. It's just viewed as being on that level," he said.

Mr. Thompson, who is traveling South Carolina in a luxury bus bearing his smiling likeness, said the state is "tailor-made for grass roots -- getting out and talking to the people; bringing the message home."

He contends a similar tactic worked in Iowa and said it "gave me a ticket to get to South Carolina." But he offers few details on how he might snag a win -- other than wearing out shoe leather and airing ads starting today, when Republican candidates will gather in Myrtle Beach to debate.

Recent polls in South Carolina show former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee leading, with Mr. Thompson's support tough to read. He placed second in one survey; in two others, he placed fourth and fifth. This is a contrast to one November poll that had him in a virtual tie for the lead in South Carolina with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

With Mr. Huckabee taking Iowa and Mr. McCain winning in New Hampshire, some analysts now see the GOP race here as a two-man show. Mr. Thompson said he likens those doubters to the ones who "saw a big victory for Barack Obama last night that didn't occur." The Illinois senator finished second to Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Democratic contest in New Hampshire.

"I think he just has to get heard more often," said Richard Anderson, a 56-year-old, Republican-leaning independent who supports Mr. Thompson.

Michigan transplant Sandra Miller said she also is drawn to Mr. Thompson for his seemingly more subdued personality, and discounted the importance of his New Hampshire loss.

"I don't think it means a lot," said Ms. Miller, 67.

Mr. Thompson didn't appear to be changing tactics Wednesday, telling the crowd of about 130 filling a diner a few miles from Shaw Air Force Base that he's a laid-back Southerner. "What you see is what you get," he said. "If they like that, I'll be in great shape."