AIKEN --- Republicans in Aiken County were out in force Thursday night, showing their support for the Grand Old Party and its candidates on the November ballot.
Michael Holahan/Staff
U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett chats with other Republicans during Thursday's candidate rally at the Aiken Horse Park.
"This is taking an opportunity to act on people's enthusiasm and excitement," said Dennis Saylor, the local party chairman. "We decided to have a rally to bring people together and let them know that the party's alive." Local Republican government officials and candidates running in the Nov. 4 election attended the rally, including U.S. Reps. Joe Wilson and Gresham Barrett and state Sen. Shane Massey and Greg Ryberg.
Mr. Wilson faces Democrat Rob Miller on the ballot for the 2nd Congressional District; Mr. Barrett is challenged by Democrat Jane Ballard Dyer in District 3; Mr. Massey faces Democrat Greg Anderson in state Senate District 25; and Mr. Ryberg is unopposed in District 24.
With the smell of barbecue wafting through the air and the sounds of the AAA Homeschool Band providing the dinner music, candidates milled through the crowd, shaking hands and politicking.
As the stock market suffered another day of losses, Mr. Barrett pleaded with the crowd.
"Please don't give up on the Republican Party," he said, telling the crowd it was time for the party to take off the gloves and to get back to its roots.
"When we get back to Washington, if we're going to get out of this, we're going to have to start calling out names," Mr. Barrett said.
Mr. Saylor said people seem to be taking an interest in the election, as evidenced by the increase of registered voters.
In Aiken County, registered voters rose from about 81,000 in January to more than 90,000 last week.
Reach Michelle Guffey at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or michelle.guffey@augustachronicle.com.
Apparently the Aiken Standard is sending out field reporters who cannot count. It wouldn't surprise me if there were over 200 people at the rally -- it was standing room only.
ReplyDeleteThe official attendance at the Republican Rally on Thursday, Oct 9th was 302. This number was confirmed by two independent sources.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Guffey of the Augusta Chronicle should be given a medal for the fair and balanced reporting plus being able to write in excellent English. I do not blame the young reporter that Aiken Standard has covering the Republican Party in Aiken County, but the Editor and Managing Editor for not correcting the poorly written articles written by this reporter. I have notice that the companion articles written by April, a senior reporter, exhibits greater command of the English language and that the articles were checked by the Editor. It should also be noted that April was the reporter that covered the Republican Party in Aiken County before this election cycle started. Since the Aiken Standard has shown itself to be an arm of the Democratic Party, maybe the good citizens of Aiken country should show what the think of a left wing bias news paper. Like Americans all across the Nation they are showing what they think of the left bias major TV channels by tuning them out. The rating for news programs are down and therefore the ad revenue is down which is the life blood of the media.
ReplyDeleteAnon #3 needs to work on his or her command of the English language before hurling insults. LMAO.
ReplyDeleteAnnonymous number 4 must be a reporter for the Aiken Standard. Can't put up with the truth.
ReplyDeleteAnon #5 can't handle the truth.
ReplyDeletePlease be sure to now get out of line as you goose step you're way to the polls.