Politicians reach out on Internet

COLUMBIA — Political strategists are predicting that this year's presidential election will revolutionize South Carolina politics when it comes to using the Internet to stay connected to the public.

Phil Noble, president of S.C. New Democrats, said many legislators are communicating through Web sites, and he said he expects even more to turn to the Internet following the success Barack Obama's presidential campaign has seen.

Republicans said they believe that interest drummed up by John McCain's Web site and the upcoming tech-savvy GOP convention will promote similar interaction statewide.

"It is just a stunning new development in the world of politics," said Noble, who helped pioneer online fundraising. "The Internet has revolutionized every industry — music, banking, news, sports, and it is in the same way revolutionizing politics."

Legislators are entering the fray by posting journal entries, videos, platforms and voting records.

Wesley Donehue, a political Internet consultant with Under The Power Lines Netroots New Media, tells his clients, "If someone wants to know something about you, the first thing they do is Google you, and you better make sure it's your Web site they are running across and not some gossip blog."

Donehue, who began Web-based political consulting 2 1/2 years ago, said his company builds campaign strategies around the Internet and helps incumbents communicate with constituents.

"We believe, especially with the presidential election, that the Internet is playing a big part of politics," Donehue said.

Rob Godfrey, communications director for the South Carolina GOP, said the state's Republicans are already offering innovative Web sites.

"It's a very exciting dynamic," Godfrey said. "We've seen South Carolina Republicans leading the way."

Meanwhile, Godfrey said, hundreds of bloggers are arriving for this week's GOP convention in St. Paul. They serve as "citizen journalists who are engaging and exciting a base of new voters."

Sen. Kevin Bryant, R-Anderson, became the first state legislator to use a blog, with posts several times a week in late 2005. Since then he's received more than 85,000 hits.

"I want to be extremely clear with my constituents on how I vote on certain things and why," Bryant said. "They can comment, and I get feedback that way."

State Rep. Nathan Ballentine, R-Irmo, gets 3,000 hits monthly on his Web site, which he established about a year ago. He puts up video messages to his constituents, takes comments and writes community updates and regular blogs.

"I couldn't do my job without it," Ballentine said.

The state's top politicians, Gov. Mark Sanford, Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell and House Speaker Bobby Harrell, all three Charleston-area Republicans, have a big presence online. Sanford also has a YouTube channel.

Check out some South Carolina's most innovative political Web sites:

Rep. Nathan Ballentine: nathansnews.com/

Sen. Kevin Bryant: kevinbryant.com/

House Speaker Bobby Harrell: www.bobbyharrell.com

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell: www.glennmcconnell.com

Gov. Mark Sanford: www.youtube.com/GovernorSanford

Isle of Palms Mayor Mike Sottile for Statehouse: mikesottile.com

Reach Yvonne Wenger at 803-799-9051 or ywenger@postandcourier.com.