Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I IN THIS ISSUE ♦ NEWS Football campaigning Members of the USC College Republicans and the USC Young Democrats debate the U.S. Senate race. Page 3 ♦VIEWPOINTS Inez vs. DeMint Members of the USC College Republicans and the USC Young Democrats debate the U.S. Senate race. Page 4 ♦ THE MIX Students prepare for judgment day Tuesday is Election Day, and many USC students won’t spend it sleeping in. Some have already voted, but some studetns are getting up early to drive home so they can vote for the next U.S. President. ®Page 5 ♦ SPORTS Rocky topped The Gamecock sports staff breaks down the Gamecocks' 43-29 loss to the SEC East-leading Tennessee Volunteers. Page 8 WEATHER ♦ TODAY High 85 Low 66 ♦ TUESDAY High 81 Low 59 FOR EXTENDED FORECAST, SEE PAGE 2. INDEX Comics and Crossword.6 Classifieds.9 Horoscopes.6 Letters to the Editor.4 Online Poll..4 Police Report.2 & kerry : An electoral tie? By TAYLOR SMITH STAFF WRITER With the race for the presidency still too close to call and different polls showing different results, the next president of the United States could be decided in the House of Representatives. According to nationwide polls of nine swing states, there are several scenarios where each candidate could receive 269 electoral votes, one vote shy of the necessary amount. “It would be a dickens of a thing, politically,” said Blease Graham, a USC political science professor. “Election by the (U.S. House of Representatives) is a rarity.” The president is not elected by voters, but through the Electoral College. Voters are actually voting for electors, who will then cast their vote based on the voting results. In this system, the battle isn’t for winning the most votes, but winning the most states. Each state is assigned a number of electoral votes. Whomever the majority of voters vote for in that state, that candidate gets all of the electoral votes. Polling experts have identified nine swing states that could go either way Tuesday. Voters in Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio and Wisconsin are split almost evenly between Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and President George W. Bush. Those states have a combined 99 electoral votes. If Bush wins Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada and New Mexico, and assuming all of the other states vote as projected, there will be a tie. The election would then go to the House of Representatives. Regardless of the number of electoral votes, each state would get one vote and their representatives would choose the next president. Graham explained that the House has decided two of our nation’s 43/ presidents, and that the provisions ih the 12th and 20th amendments of $he U.S. Constitution have provided guidelines for future discrepancies. The House of Representatives elected John Adams in 1801 and John Quincy Adams in 1825 with vice ♦ Please see TIE, page 3 New Hampshire (4 electoral votes) (To tie: Kerry) (2000: Bush) Zogby: Bush: 46% Kerry: 51.1% Mason Dixon: Bush:'46% Kerry: 47% Suffolk University: Bush: 41% Kerry: 46% Rasmussen: Bush 47% Kerry: 49% Research 2000: Bush 45% Kerry: 49% Wisconsin (10 electoral votes) (To tie: Kerry) (2000: Gore) Reuters/Zogby: Bush: 44% Kerry: 52% Mason-Dixon: Bush: 46% Kerry: 48% Wisconsin Public Radio: Bush: 45% Kerry: 48% Rasmussen: Bush: 47% Kerry: 48% Strategic Vision: Bush: 49% Kerry: 46% GRAPHIC BY DAVID STAGG/THE GAMECOCK SOURCE: SLATE.COM AND USC POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR BLEASE GRAHAM n _ □ ■ Solidly Democratic ■ Likely Democratic ■ Leaning Democratic Toss-up ■ Leaning Republican ■ Likely Republican M Solidly Republican Economy, war on terror pivotal issues on campus By JONATHAN HILLYARD THE GAMECOCK Whatever the results of polls on CNN, NBC or Fox News might say, USC students have their own opinions on what issues are important in Tuesday’s presidential election. While a number of students said the war on terror and the economy are very significant, health care, the draft and abortion were 6n the minds of students in the Russell House Sunday. Of 10 students interviewed, five said health care was one of the most important issues to them. Two students expressed concerns about a possible draft, and one student said she voted based on the issue of abortion. The war on terror was the most important issue of this year’s presidential election. Seven students listed it as one of their top three concerns, and five students said it was their main concern. In the sample of four registered Republicans, four registered Democrats and two independent USC students, six said that the U.S. made the wrong decision in going to war with Iraq, and four supported the war. “I’ll be voting for Kerry because I really don’t like anything Bush has done with the war,” second-year biology student Michael Kanwisher said. “I haven’t seen any positive results, and I just want something different." First-year sport and entertainment management student and registered Republican, Ben Waring said his father is fighting in Iraq and that the two of them supported the war. When asked who they thought would win the election if Iraq was the number one issue, six students said Senator John Kerry would have the edge. “Because of the way things have gone, I think Kerry would probably win in that case,” Waring said. “So many people are displeased with being in Iraq now.” Four students said Bush would have the advantage if the American people focus on the war on terror, citing his experience and willingness to act against threats to the United States. Five of the 10 students said economic issues were among the major factors in determining their vote. Three students said the economy was the most important factor for them. When asked to assume that the economy would be the deciding factor in the election, six students said Kerry would again have the edge. Two students said Bush would win in that case, and two students said they weren’t sure. Most ♦ Please see ISSUES, page 3 Students weigh in on close Senate race ■ Attitudes differ sharply in heated race to replace Fritz Hollings in Washington By ELLEN TWEEDY THE GAMECOCK The senatorial race between Jim DeMint and Inez Tenenbaum has elicited strong feelings from some USC students. Many were put off by DeMint’s recent commejits about gays and unwed mothers teaching in public schools as well as Tenenbaum’s support for democratic ideals. “I don’t like DeMint. 1 think he is an idiot, and I like Inez’s independent approach,” second-year biology student Courtney Morrell said. ♦ Please see I&tNATE, page 3 JASON STEELMAN/THE GAMECOCK Patrick Grishaw, a fourth-year public relations student, operates the College Republican’s booth in front of Gambrell Hall on Wednesday. '? THE ASSOCIATED PRESS After a quick greeting, U.S. Rep. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., and South Carolina Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum head to their podiums before the start of a debate on Oct. 18, in Columbia. Campaigns rely on negative ads By WES WOLFE THE GAMECOCK As the race to fill Fritz Hollings’ U.S. Senate seat draws to a close, the tight battle between U.S. Rep. Jim DeMint and State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum continues to get nastier. “I think the voters want to hear the candidates talk about ideas, but there must be some reason why there’s so many negative ads,” DeMint spokesman Geoff Embler said. “The people who run those ads must feel that they work, or else I guess you wouldn’t run them.” The candidates posted some of their radio and televisiqn ads on their Web sites. Tenenbaum posted six negative TV ads, two negative radio ads, and she also has four positive TV ads on the site. “I’m not going to concede that we’ve run any negative ads,” Tenenbaum spokeswoman Kay Packett said. She said the campaign is performing a public service by pointing out DeMint’s proposals. DeMint has only posted one of his negative ads, though other campaign-approved negative ads are currently running. “Congressman DeMint has always wanted to talk about ideas, and we’ve been frankly disappointed with the tone of Mrs. Tcnenbaum’s campaign and sometimes the campaign runs ads to refute some of her claims, but most of the time we’re talking about Congressman DeMint’s ideas and proposals,” Embler said. The campaigns also are spending a king’s ransom on media. The DeMint campaign spent more than $2.3 million from July 1 to Oct. 15 and owes $41,640.82 to its media firm. It’s unusual for a Democrat to outspend a Republican in a major ♦ Please see AD WARS, page 3 TOO CLOSE TO CALL To tie: candidate who would need to win this state for an electoral tie 2000: candidate who won state in 2000 election Percentages refer to five recent polls conducted by national polling institutions ■ Alaska ■ D.C. ■ Hawaii