GOP debate gets campaign going

The Republicans hoping to become South Carolina's next governor have debated before, but not so far this year, not in Charleston, and not in a forum moderated by nationally known television journalists.

So while tonight's four-way forum at Memminger Auditorium won't determine who wins the GOP primary in June, it will provide an important chance for U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, state Rep. Nikki Haley and S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster to differentiate themselves.

Political experts said each has something to gain -- and possibly to lose -- depending on how they fare before moderators Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski of MSNBC and a statewide television audience.

The debate's audience might not be as large as it would be if the election were just weeks away, but the candidates can't ignore it, said DuBose Kapeluck, an associate political science professor at The Citadel.

Kapeluck said Haley and Barrett likely have the most to gain because their legislative districts cover only the upper and middle part of the state, so they're not as well known, particularly in the Lowcountry.

And Bauer probably has the most to lose. The debate comes on the heels of his remark that compared welfare recipients on government assistance who don't take part in their children's education to stray dogs. Those words thrust him into national news.

"(Bauer) is a candidate that is not particularly liked within the Republican Party here in South Carolina," Kapeluck said. "As we saw the other day, he has a habit that's not good for politicians, saying things that are not politically correct."

The televised audience for tonight's debate won't be huge -- filing for the office doesn't begin until March and the primary isn't until June -- but people are beginning to tune in, Clemson University political science professor Dave Woodard said.

"I don't suspect there's a lot of interest yet, but as a friend of mine used to say, 'The antennas are beginning to go up around now.' "

Woodard said he expects all the candidates to address the economy, "but I don't know how anybody can fix that in South Carolina, given the national economy."

The main thing the candidates will try to avoid is saying something stupid, he said, "so they will be guarded with each other and will say bland things usually. I don't look for any sparks."

Woodard also wondered how President Barack Obama's State of the Union Wednesday might influence today's debate. "It could have a real dampening effect," he said. "Whatever you say about Obama, he is effective as a speaker and he'll have a command performance."

S.C. Republican Chairwoman Karen Floyd said the presence of MSNBC personalities puts a bigger spotlight on Charleston and the debate.

She said this year's gubernatorial contest looms as nationally important because the influence the GOP winner might have in the 2012 presidential primaries.

"Whatever message comes out from this particular debate is a litmus test of what conservatives believe," she said. "It's a good opportunity for us to give our gubernatorial candidates a national presence."

Tonight's debate caps a busy day for Republicans in Charleston, beginning with MSNBC "Morning Joe" co-hosts Scarborough and Brzezinski broadcasting from downtown Charleston.

The Republican Party also has organized a first ladies luncheon at Memminger and two late-afternoon receptions to benefit the state and county parties. Admission to those events, as well as the debate itself at Memminger, will require a ticket.

Covering the politics of the Lowcountry, South Carolina and the nation.

The next scheduled debate among the five Democratic gubernatorial candidates will be March 23 and is being organized by the Spartanburg County Democratic Party and the University of South Carolina-Upstate.

The Democratic candidates are Columbia lawyer Dwight Drake, state Sen. Robert Ford, Charleston lawyer Mullins McLeod, state Superintendent of Education Jim Rex and state Sen. Vincent Sheheen.

Tonight's Republican gubernatorial debate will be televised locally by WCBD-TV on a tape-delay basis at 10 p.m.

Flight diversion

The plane traveling Wednesday from New York to Charleston carrying members of the MSNBC team for tonight's South Carolina Republican gubernatorial debate had to divert to Myrtle Beach, where it landed safely, according to the Associated Press.

The Delta flight made an emergency landing at Myrtle Beach International after reports of smoke inside the plane.

The Delta Connection flight operated by Com Air was carrying 16 passengers and three crew members, according to reports from Myrtle Beach.

Two of the passengers were MSNBC "Morning Joe" co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, the AP said. Scarborough said on his Twitter account that he and Brzezinski, who will moderate the debate at Memminger Auditorium, drove to Charleston from Myrtle Beach.

The smoke was reported in the plane about 45 minutes to an hour outside of Charleston. The cause was under investigation.

Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771 or at rbehre@postandcourier.com.