Dole Gets Big Win In S.C.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AllPolitics, Mar. 2) -- Sen. Robert Dole (R-Kan.), sorely in need of a boost heading into the Junior and Super Tuesday presidential primaries, scored an easy win in today's South Carolina Republican contest. (290K AIFF or WAV sound)

Pugnacious commentator Pat Buchanan finished a faraway second, and publisher Malcolm S. "Steve" Forbes Jr. came in third (128K AIFF or WAV sound), according to CNN estimates. Former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander dropped to a disappointing fourth-place finish, raising questions about the future of his campaign.

"Nobody in their wildest dreams thought it would happen by as much as 15 percentage points," Dole told supporters at a victory celebration in Columbia tonight. "This is a big one, but we still have a tough road ahead."

Dole's victory, after second-place finishes in New Hampshire and Arizona, gives him a major lift going into Tuesday's primaries in New England and Georgia, and then on into Super Tuesday March 12.

CNN Political Analyst Bill Schneider said one reason for Dole's win was that he was able to cut into Buchanan's support among social conservatives. According to exit polls, Dole ran ahead of Buchanan, 42-33 percent, among the two-thirds of voters who said moral issues were their top concern.

Dole, in a telephone interview with CNN as he jetted to South Carolina for a victory party, credited work of party leaders and his volunteers for his victory.

"We feel good about South Carolina," he said. "We had a great organization there and they produced (221K AIFF or WAV sound)."

Dole said South Carolina voters wanted someone who could bring the party together and attract more people to it. "And I think we're right on the issues and right on the message about the flatter, fairer tax system and reining in the government and welfare reform, balancing the budget, lower interest rates," Dole said (298K AIFF or WAV sound).

It was a sweet win, too, because of Dole's history in the state. In 1988, George Bush defeated him in South Carolina, effectively ending Dole's presidential hopes.

South Carolina's primary, the first in the South, took on new importance when New Hampshire's primary failed to narrow the field of GOP hopefuls.

Dole had the most to lose, and his victory is a step toward regaining front-runner status. But for Buchanan (119K AIFF or WAV sound), who campaigned hard here and tried to appeal to a potent voting bloc of Christian conservatives, the results were disappointing.

Still, at a rally in Portland, Maine, Buchanan said he still has "a fighting chance to win this nomination....We need one big breakthrough."

He predicted success in Georgia, Florida and even Alexander's home state. "We're going to go up there and pick the carcass of Lamar Alexander," he said.

For Alexander, another poor showing -- this one in his own backyard -- puts new pressure on him to quit the race. Republican moderates who support Dole have complained that Alexander has drained away mainstream votes and allowed the hard-right Buchanan to pose a stronger threat. The chorus for his departure is likely to grow, although Alexander is vowing to stay in the race until the San Diego convention in August (264K AIFF or WAV sound).

"It's been a roller-coaster ride," Alexander told CNN tonight. He also argued that tonight's results "...may be a rejection of Buchanism," a comment that begs the question of his possible third- or fourth-place finish tonight, far behind Buchanan. As for Dole, Alexander asked: "Is he the right man to have in a debate with Bill Clinton next fall?"

Thirty-seven delegates were at stake in South Carolina's combination winner-take-all primary. Dole gets 19 at-large delegates, with the remaining 18 divided according to the results in the six congressional districts.

Dole, who was so optimistic that he left South Carolina early to campaign in New England, told voters in Maine that only he has the experience to make sure Congress enacts his agenda of a balanced budget, welfare reform and tax cuts.

Dole said he is willing to work with Democrats on occasion, although not "if it's a matter of conscience or a matter of compromise."

"Many times, you reach across the aisle for compromise. There's nothing wrong with a good compromise," Dole told a rally at Husson College. "The American people don't want gridlock. They want to get things done."

The Senate Majority Leader also spoke to a group of fire chiefs in Burlington, Vt., reminding them that they wouldn't want to go into a burning building without training.

"The more experience you have, the more equipped you are to deal with some emergency," Dole said. "This (the presidency) is not an on-the-job training job."

Dole appeared confident of victory in many of Tuesday's five primaries in New England, saying a South Carolina victory would "have an impact on what happens here."

"We're 20 to 30 points ahead in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island," Dole told Associated Press. The other two New England primaries Tuesday are in Vermont and Maine, for a total of 107 GOP convention delegates.

Wyoming Caucuses

In today's other Republican contest, Dole picked up at least four delegates of the 12 slated to be chosen at county conventions in Wyoming. More of the state's 20 delegates will be chosen at the GOP state convention May 4.

Related Stories:

• South Carolina Primary Results
• South Carolina Exit Polls
• What The S.C. Results Mean
• South Carolina Primary Page