S.C. Democrats refuse to oust Alvin Greene as Senate nominee

Washington Post June 17, 2010

Members of the South Carolina Democratic Party's executive committee voted overwhelmingly tonight against holding a new Senate primary, upholding last week's controversial win by unemployed veteran Alvin Greene (D) over former state Rep. Vic Rawl (D).

Rawl, who lost to Greene 59 percent to 41 percent, had brought his case before the committee tonight, but the 61 members present rejected his protest by a five-to-one margin. Rawl said in brief remarks after the committee meeting that he would not appeal the decision. Greene did not attend the meeting, which took place in Columbia and lasted for more than five hours.

For the time being, the decision means that Greene remains the party's nominee to face Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) in the fall.

But with several unresolved questions surrounding Greene's candidacy, the next step is unclear: South Carolina legislators and watchdog organizations have called for further investigations into the primary, citing problems with voting machines, a felony obscenity charge facing Greene and the issue of his payment of the $10,440 candidate filing fee despite being unemployed.