Raymond MacKay is a Democrat? ? ? ?

Willie get off this blog and go take some SOMA!!!! It really does help the overworked drones.

I think your missing the big picture of the South. Since the “war of northern aggression,” voting democrat was simply a way of life. Outside of a few brave souls, it was a one-party-region. For all practical purposes, the primary election for State and County offices was the election.

In my lifetime of voting, since 1972, I have voted for republicans, save for two. In presidential elections I voted for Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush, Dole, and Bush.

The two democrats I did vote for, while living in Georgia, was for Nathan Deal for congress, as he was far more conservative the “rhino” he was running against, and for Zel Miller. Zel spoke at the republican convention, if you recall. Deal became a republican in 1994, and has been in office, and loyal to the party, ever since.

What people forget is this. There was a time you could be a real conservative, and a democrat. As Zel Miller put it so well, his party changed, he did not. (See the book “A National Party No More”)

As the democrat party moved away from conservative values, southern politicians needed a new home. They moved, starting in 1992, to the Republican Party. Bob Waldrep would fall in the category, as would a host of others in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and all over the southeast.

For those that made the move, and have been there for a number of years I can understand, as should any person with those changed dynamics in the democrat party since the early 90’s.

Remember, the “new democrat party” is the party of “choice,” except when it comes to choosing your school, choosing your health care provider, choosing your health insurance, choosing what you eat, choosing what you can drive, and choosing to allow the free enterprise system to work.

I don’t normally respond to anonymous bloggers but will take this opportunity to respond to Mr Waldrep’s outrageous piece of hitmail. For Mr. Waldrep to attack my Republican credentials based on a single primary vote is quite a stretch. Please allow me to set the record straight.

1) I was a Young Republican when I was 16 and served as a surrogate Richard Nixon in our High School Mock Presidential Election.
2) As a Young Republican, I was a delegate to the SC State Republican Convention in 1974.
3) I drove from Furman University, where I was a junior, to Clinton, SC and worked a poll and voted for Ford in his losing bid against Jimmy Carter in 1976
4) I have voted for every Republican nominee for President since that time.

Bob Waldrep’s history is much different. My understanding is that he was Democrat, then a Republican, then a Democrat again and now a Republican again. But according to his mailer, I am the one having trouble deciding what party I represent??? Only an entrenched career politician, desperate to hold onto his seat, could resort to that kind of twisted logic.

Now that you know the truth about my background and credentials as a Republican, let me tell you what I did regarding the recent Presidential Primary. I voted for John Edwards. I did so because he was a SC native running a distant third at the time and I wanted him to at least have a decent showing in his “home” state.

But the hitpiece doesn’t portray that. It groups me with Hillary and Obama. No surprise about this desperation smear tactic. Mr. Waldrep knows the truth because he has Republican voter lists that show I voted in the 2004 and 2006 Republican primaries.

Will the voters focus on my agenda for positive change and real reform of our county government? Or will the voters be fooled by Mr Waldrep’s crude attempt to divert attention from his abysmal record of personal attacks and petty politics that have so badly hampered our efforts to move forward as a county?

I trust the voters of District 1 to determine what issues really matter most and decide who best represents their hopes, ideas and vision for the future of our county.

Thank you for allowing me to set the record straight. My phone number is in the book if you have a question or you can e-mail me at mackayforcouncil@bellsouth.net.

I respectfully ask for your vote on June 24th.

Raymond MacKay

Mr. Waldrep is a lot older than MacKay. Democrats were Democrats back then. MacKay will cause more problems than you ever dreamed if elected. You need to go back and read Brooks Brown's quote in the newspaper after the primary. You are correct, "Facts are stubborn things." How deep are you into the Preston dole?

I don't think it is an outrageous piece of hit mail. I think it was very timely, and it has changed my vote. I was teetering until you confirmed you voted in the January's democratic primary. This is outrageous and honestly a slap in the face to those who voted for you, and those who consider themselves a Republican.

When you go to vote in a primary, you are declaring yourself a member of that party. You are voting to nominate "your" party's nominee for that office. That is the truth. You were considered a democrat by both parties until you voted on Tuesday. I assume that you voted in the Republican primary on Tuesday.

This has nothing to do with what Mr. Waldrep did many years ago, it has everything to do with what "you" did a few weeks ago.

Unfortunately, for you only a few folks read this blog. I don't know how many people actually got this mail piece, but I know it changed a few votes. Mine was one of them. I am calling friends in the district to try to change their vote as well.

Yankeefan
I have to disagree with your logic on this topic.

If it was as you say, you as a yankeefan could not call yourself a yankeefan if you watched or pulled for any other teams that EVER play.

Of course I said before, There is no way I would vote a straight party ticket. I can't believe in every Republican, anymore than I can believe in every Democrat. Labels labels labels

I was unaware that Waldrep had switched parties so many times. I can understand switching once, as JD said the dynamics of the parties changed over the years particularly here in the south. But to switch back and forth that many times? Is that true? That doesn't sound like a man of integrity to me, that sounds like a vote chaser who will say whatever they need to say to get the vote. And how hypocritical if he did change parties that many times to attack someone else for taking pride in their state and voting in one opposing primary so they could support a SC native. SC doesn't get the respect it deserves nationally and I say good for Mackay for being a proud South Carolinian.
And yankeefan getting mail from the "other" party no matter which side your on is not a bad thing. Although I get too much political mail I like to get it from both sides. It helps me to be a more informed voter.

This is a straight party race. You can't serve two masters. You can jump ship in November. But you certainly shouldn't vote in another party's primary, when there was one going on in your party.

Mr. MacKay, I voted for you because I wanted change. I am changing my vote, because I don't want that type of change.

I have been involved with the Republican party here for over 25 years. Waldrep did switch once, and then returned. He started out as a republican in the 60's. That wasn't popular, but he was. He switched to the dems, and after a couple of years switched back. Big Deal. Bob Waldrep never ran on the platform of being a life long republican. Raymond MacKay lied to us, and now wants us to trust him. Not next Tuesday Mr. MacKay, you got me once, but not twice.

Mr. MacKay, Thank you for clarifying the representation of your recent vote in the Presidential Primary. By saying: “I voted for John Edwards. I did so because he was a SC native running a distant third at the time and I wanted him to at least have a decent showing in his home state.”

If this is the number one reason to vote for the next leader of the free world, how do you rank these issues:

-war on terror, national security
-earmark reform, cutting spending
-immigration reform
-government growth
-reforming our energy policy

-hometown boy doing well in his state

Thank you in advance for answering this question.

As a lifelong registered Republican I have never ever been made to feel the way you idiots are implying Mr. MacKay should feel for voting in the Democratic Presidential Primary. Please read his reason for doing so. You guys are so closed-minded and so quick to try and convict without even talking to Mr. Mackay to get his side of the story. That's one of the reasons negative attacks are so wrong and so destructive to what the real focus should be on.....who is the best candidate for County Council Dist. 1. I am truly embarrassed that I live in a city and county where there are so many people who believe everything they read and hear and accept such as fact. Where is it stated in the rules of either party that you must in each and every election vote only for the party you are registered with? As a registered voter I don't ever recall relinquishing my right to vote for the person, not the party. Geez, you guys are enough to drive a good Republican over to the other party. Thanks Raymond for being honest, upfront and for having the courage to stand by your convictions. Yep, now more than ever Andersonians should know you are the man for the job!

thank you for the clarification, gentlemen.

I think lifelongrepublican's point is this. Reason number #1-hometown boy doing well in his state is a ridiculous reason to vote for a candidate for the President of the United States. We can't look into the future and see specific issues and votes the council will take up, but we can look at one's judgment and reasoning.

Life long republican you have clearly not followed this campaign very closely, if your impression is that Raymond MacKay ran on a platform of being a lifelong Republican. Why don't you take the time to read Raymond's Voter Guide at the AIM site. He ran on a platform of economic development, accountability in government, and returning civility to county government.

I asked Raymond long ago what he was thinking to have voted in the Democratic Primary. His pick for the Republican nominee was a lock in SC. Given that, he chose to vote for a SC boy in the primary. It is absurd to think that you can draw any inference about MacKay's stance on particular issues important to the national stage based on this vote.

The fact of the matter is that this is not a national election. This run-off is about the fate of Anderson County. Frankly, it is somewhat stupid that these candidates are affiliated with parties in the first place; city council candidates have no party affiliation. Raymond has clearly put forth his agenda for change in Anderson County. Just as clearly, there are intelligent people in this county who understood what Raymond is trying to do. As to Brooks Brown, if you are looking for consistency and moral authority, you have chosen the wrong man. Take a look at his repeated flogging of Bob during the primary. Find some people who spoke with him at the Civic Center on Tuesday night; you will quickly discover that I am right on this point.

Don't be fooled by the desperation of the Waldrep/Wilson campaign. There is absolutely no doubt about one thing; Raymond MacKay has steadfastly refused to run a negative campaign. Indeed, he has not needed to be negative, because his ideas stand on their own. His campaign has been based on elaborating his ideas, listening to the ideas of his future constituents, and putting his money where his mouth is by waking street after street of District 1 so as to meet as many citizens he possibly could. I am Proud to Be Independent and am proud to have such a hard working, committed, honest, and positive candidate participating in local government. Raymond MacKay shocked everyone on Tuesday by taking a lead into the runoff. No one should be shocked when he walks away with the election on the 24th of June.

why declare, who cares, vote for whoever you want for whatever reason, you are free to do so.

I respect Mr. MacKay for getting on here and giving an explanation, but I still have some issues with his decision to vote in the Democratic primary and to vote for Edwards. However, I will say that I do not live in District 1, and I trust the voters of that district to make the right decision. All I know if Bob Waldrep has been a great statesman for Anderson County for many years, and I hope he can continue his service.

Also, I want to clear up some questions that came up about me personally. I have voted in every election that I was eligible to vote in since I turned 18 including primaries, general elections, and referenda. I have NEVER voted in a Democratic primary. I did vote for a couple of Democrats in the 2006 General Election, but none of them were near as liberal as Edwards, Obama, or Clinton--in fact they were no more liberal than some of the "Republicans" we have representing Anderson County currently in the General Assembly and on County Council. I missed the age limit in the 2004 elections by about two months but I supported George W. Bush and Jim DeMint. In 2002, I supported Mark Sanford and Lindsey Graham.

I do not consider myself "CAVE Person" or and "Prestonite." I support candidates based on who I believe will do the best for Anderson County and will hold the line on spending and taxes. I hope that the political discourse in our county will move from personalities to ideas, and I personally try to focus on the ideas of candidates although it is increasingly hard to do so in our current political climate.

The very last time I voted for a Democrat was to vote for Jimmy Carter. I thought a Georgia boy growing peanuts has got to be a pretty good person. How wrong I was and I have never voted for a Democrat again. Mr. Mackay's reply is appreciated but I do not believe him. I believe that he is a 'complete' Democrat and will be another rubber stamp for Mr. Preston. Since Brooks Brown, at that time a friend and close companion of Mr. Preston and Mr. Mackay, now tells us the truth: "Mr. Mackay has been bought and paid for by the special interest groups." Didn't Mr. Mackay receive thousands of dollars from Ron Wilson, a known and proven yes-man for Mr. Preston? I now respect Mr. Brown much more than I have in the past. I believe that Bob Waldrep represents the taxpayers of his district and all of Anderson County. Mr. Waldrep is an honorable and truthful man and I will support him.