Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | Politics | AAN.org

Here’s How Seven Votes Changed on the Confederate Flag Billnew

Fourteen minutes passed between the second and third House readings of the bill that called for the removal of the Confederate battle flag from Statehouse grounds. In that time, the vote count changed from 93-27 to 94-20.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 07-13-2015 | Politics

How to Give $1 Million to a Mayoral Candidatenew

Thwart the $1,000 contribution limit with this one weird trick!

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 05-06-2015 | Elections

Tags: campaign finance

Unreported Fender-Bender Involving Nikki Haley Leads to Questions About Her Ethicsnew

The fender-bender itself was not earth-shattering news. But as the governor gears up for a 2014 re-election campaign against likely Democratic challenger Vincent Sheheen, the previously unreported car accident raised questions about whether Haley uses state-owned vehicles to travel to campaign fundraising events.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers and Corey Hutchins | 08-30-2013 | Politics

Tags: Pat McCrory, Nikki Haley

Elizabeth Colbert Busch could rally the Democratic faithful in SC-1 electionnew

For Lowcountry Democrats, 2008 was the election year that got away. In addition to being the year 54 percent of Charleston County voters picked Barack Obama for president, it was the first year in decades that the Democrats put up a serious challenger for South Carolina's District 1 U.S. House seat.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 02-20-2013 | Elections

Tags: Elizabeth Colbert Busch

Newt’s still got it, but the Tea Party is so 2010new

Just before Tea Party heartthrob Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) announced that he would be leaving the U.S. Senate in January to head up the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, a new poll released Wednesday showed support was weak for the Tea Party in the outgoing senator’s home state.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 12-07-2012 | Politics

Tags: Jim DeMint, Newt Gingrich

Nikki Haley Vetoes Spending for Education, Healthcare, Artsnew

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley attempts to strike 81 lines from state budget.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 07-10-2012 | Politics

Tags: Nikki Haley

Newt and Santorum in the Pulpitnew

During a recent Sunday-morning appearance at a North Charleston church, Newt Gingrich went nearly 40 minutes without addressing what is arguably his biggest liability with evangelical voters: his multiple, well-publicized affairs and divorces. Finally, as he wrapped up a talk on the place of Christianity in early American history, he made a passing reference to the topic that was surely on many people's minds.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 01-26-2012 | Elections

Tags: Rick Santorum, Elections, Election 2012, Newt Gingrich

What About the Gay Republican Vote?new

Shortly after the Jan. 10 New Hampshire GOP primary, while candidate tour buses and cable TV news trucks were beating a path down I-95 to South Carolina, Jeff Inglis, the managing editor of the Maine alt-weekly Portland Phoenix, left a voicemail at the City Paper office. He wanted to talk about Mike Heath, a major figure in the Ron Paul campaign who he said was known from his decades in the Pine Tree State as a “rabidly vicious anti-gay hatemonger.”

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 01-23-2012 | Elections

Tags: Elections, Election 2012, South Carolina Primary

Coming of Age at the CNN Debatenew

Disappointed visitors, jaded reporters, and a failed protest at the North Charleston Coliseum.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 01-20-2012 | Elections

Tags: Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Elections, Ron Paul, election 2012, SCGOP, South Carolina primary, Republican primary, CNN debate

Two 12-year-old reporters enter the CNN debate spin roomnew

Down in front sit the two youngest reporters in the room, twin siblings Faith and Zach Dalzell of Daniel Island. They are 12 years old.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 01-19-2012 | Elections

Tags: Elections, Election 2012, South Carolina Primary, Southern Republican Presidential Debate

Protesters Glitter-Bomb Santorum Rallynew

On the east bank of the Cooper River, in the chilly shade of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, Santorum appeared alongside Tony Perkins, president of the conservative thinktank Family Research Council. The former Pennsylvania senator was making a clear appeal to conservative values voters, talking about “striking a blow for family and freedom” and upholding nuclear families as “the pillars of society.”

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers and Joshua Curry | 01-19-2012 | Elections

Tags: gay rights, Rick Santorum, Elections, election 2012