Lindsay Graham May Face Serious Challenge From State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel, The Moment The Latter Is Cleared Of His Federal Cocaine-Distribution Charges

In politics, they say, a day can mean a lifetime.

Yesterday:

The names of possible GOP primary challengers to Graham fly across the Internet: Gov. Mark Sanford, U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, Attorney General Henry McMaster, Charlie Condon, Mark McBride, Oscar Lovelace, Greg Ryberg and Buddy Witherspoon.

The name mentioned most often is State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel.

Today:

South Carolina Treasurer Thomas Ravenel was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury for distribution of cocaine.

The indictments accuse Ravenel and another man of distributing less than 500 grams of cocaine starting in late 2005.

Ravenel was a rising political star elected treasurer in 2006. He started his political career two years earlier, finishing a close third in the Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat while funding his own campaign.

Here's some, umm, blow-back:

...

Thomas Ravenel is the state chairman for former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign.

Questions for potential Graham challengers:

1) Are you strongly in favor of enforcement-first?

2) Can you, if necessary, self-finance your campaign?

3) Do you sell blow off the back of your chopper and/or van?

Thanks to Nordbuster for the first link and JFH for the second.

posted by Ace at 05:43 PM

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