Larry Grooms wins Berkeley County straw poll
State Sen. Larry Grooms won a Berkeley County straw poll Saturday among Republicans there, with former Gov. Mark Sanford finishing second.
Both are among 16 candidates seeking the Republican nomination to the 1st Congressional District. The primary is set for March 19.
Grooms, who lives in Bonneau and whose Senate district is centered in Berkeley County, received 37 votes at the county Republican breakfast meeting in Goose Creek. Sanford got 20.
Others receiving votes were former Dorchester County Sheriff Ray Nash, 10; Charleston teacher Teddy Turner, 9; Charleston businessman Jonathan Hoffman, 5; state Rep. Peter McCoy of James Island, 5; Charleston County School Board member Elizabeth Moffly, 3; Goose Creek businessman Tim Larkin, 2; and state Rep. Chip Limehouse of Charleston, 1.
On Thursday, Grooms and Limehouse tied atop a straw poll taken after a GOP forum at the Propeller Club of Charleston. Sanford finished third, and Democratic candidate Elizabeth Colbert Busch finished fourth.
Two weeks ago, former state Sen. John Kuhn of Charleston won a straw poll taken by the Republican Liberty Caucus of South Carolina during a FreedomWorks forum in North Charleston. Sanford finished second in that too.
The Republican nominee will face off on May 7 with the winner of the Democratic primary between Busch and perennial candidate Ben Frasier.
Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771.
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