With national attention being placed on spending, healthcare “reform” and jobs, it’s easy to forget that, as Tip O’neill said, “All politics is local.”

With this in mind, I reached out to the Republican candidate for the 5th Congressional District in SC, Michael (Mick) Mulvaney.  Currently Mulvaney is a state senator, but he now seeks national office, and, more specifically, the seat of Rep. John Spratt (D).  Unseating Rep. Spratt will be no easy task.  He’s a 14-term incumbent and Chairman of the Budget Finance Committee.

In spite of this, Time Magazine named Sen. Mulvaney’s campaign to be of the top five (out of 500) races to likely deliver a stunning Scott Brown-style upset in the 2010 elections.

Read more at RedState

Mick Mulvaney will be holding a fund raiser in Charlotte on Friday, March 5th starting at noon.  Details on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=338541629455

Mick Mulvaney makes Time Magazine’s “Ten More Scott Browns” list.

Democratic Representative John Spratt has held onto South Carolina’s 5th District since 1982, and he hasn’t faced a strong challenger since 1996. Challenging him this time around, however, is Republican state senator Mick Mulvaney, yet another small-business owner clamoring to give an insider a run for his money. Mulvaney, a fiscal conservative who wants to rein in spending and opposes what his website calls “Obama’s health care takeover,” has claimed that he can emulate Scott Brown’s success. He decided to challenge Spratt, he says, when he sat in on a town-hall meeting last year and was disgusted to hear Spratt claim that the new health care bill would offer a “quantum leap” in efficiency and costs. Mulvaney paints himself as an approachable candidate, asking visitors to his website to call — at his actual cell-phone number — or e-mail him at the first sign that he is using spin.

Read more: Time

Public Policy Polling polled the race between Spratt and Mick Mulvaney.  According to the results Spratt leads Mulvaney 46% to 39%.  Sure, Spratt’s ahead right now, but this is good news.  When ever an incumbent polls under 50% it’s a sign of vulnerability.  Furthermore, Mulvaney has just started the campaign.  As he makes his way around the district and more money rolls in he’ll eventually over take Spratt.  There is still nine months to go until November.

Please donate to Mick Mulvaney’s campaign today and retire John Spratt this year!

Mick Mulvaney moved quickly this week to co-opt the winning message in the Massachusetts Senate race, telling supporters that he, too, can pull off an upset in a district long held by a Democrat.

The Herald

Mulvaney can be like Scott Brown, but with even better odds!  Massachusetts is a heavily entrenched Democrat state where only 15% of the state legislature is held by Republicans.  John Spratt’s Congressional District is Republican leaning and he’s only managed to hang on for so long by fooling people into believing he is some kind of moderate despite the fact that he has supported the radical Obama / Pelosi agenda almost 98% of the time.

This is a letter to the editor that ran in The Item today.

I had the opportunity of listening to Mr. Spratt’s successor, and I must say this man has what it will take to replace this congressman. State Sen. Mick Mulvaney spoke from the heart as to what he could see down the road in our great nation. It is my opinion, he could see he light at the end of the tunnel, which in my opinion is an oncoming freight train.

I would like to echo the words of what Mr. Gore had to say this past week as it pertains to what Mr. Spratt has done. I would also like to inform his constituents, that one man isn’t that important as to keep Shaw Air Force Base open. If Mr Spratt is that important, then he should have considered closing McEntire Air National Guard, thereby saving the state and federal government millions of dollars. No, the BRAC Base Realignment and Closure commission decided this. So, now we have McEntire moving into Shaw which will now save millions of dollars.

Editor, you may remember when I conducted a one-man picket outside Spratt’s office in 2001. This man wouldn’t support issues pertinent to the veterans and retired military veterans. Oh, I can guarantee you Mr. Spratt will come on board and claim my display was uncalled for and he did support us. Well, all I can say is I can read and often read what the Library of Congress puts out.

Editor, Mr. Spratt is not the only career politician who needs to be replaced, there are many more just like him. The tea parties are doing a fine job at identifying these. I am certain when Mr. Mulvaney is voted in and takes the oath of office he will do just what he claimed. Additionally, I plan to be at his swearing in ceremony.

ART MORIN
Summerton

This afternoon, the NRCC has officially announced State Senator Mick Mulvaney as an ‘On the Radar’ candidate, an important step of its Young Guns program.  Founded in the 2007-2008 election cycle by Reps. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and Paul Ryan (R-WI), the Young Guns program is a member-driven organization dedicated to electing open-seat and challenger candidates nationwide. Mulvaney is running for South Carolina’s Fifth Congressional District.

“The NRCC is committed to working with Mick Mulvaney as he continues to meet the rigorous goals of the Young Guns program,” said NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions. “Mick Mulvaney is an accomplished leader for South Carolina, and he already has significant momentum behind his campaign. I am confident that he will be successful in his effort to defeat John Spratt, who is a career politician focused on Wall Street bailouts, a National Energy Tax and a government healthcare takeover, not job creation.”

NRCC.org

The Herald is reporting that John Spratt has confirmed his intention to run for a 15th term.  There was some speculation that he may retire.  Help force him to retire anyway and support Mick Mulvaney for Congress!

Though he insists he in, rumors abound that Jack Spratt might retire next year.  You can help him make up his mind by donating to Mick Mulvaney:

Contribute to the Money Bomb and help Mulvaney raise the cash to run a winning campaign.  If enough money is raised early on, it might convince Spratt to retire.

Contribute here

Mick Mulvaney, challenger to Congressman John Spratt, will be marching in the City of York parade this Wednesday, December 16th.

Event: City of York Parade with Mulvaney
What: Rally
Start Time: Wednesday, December 16 at 3:35pm
End Time: Wednesday, December 16 at 6:35pm
Where: Downtown York

There is also a Facebook group for Mulvaney’s candidacy with information as well.