DeMint Defeats Tenenbaum in Senate Cliffhanger
November 2, 2004
Republican Rep. Jim DeMint won the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Democratic Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings in South Carolina on Tuesday, fighting off State Secretary Inez Tenenbaum in a close race.

The three-term congressman campaigned as a solid Republican while Tenenbaum, a self-proclaimed moderate, tried to distance herself from the Democratic Party.

The economy and taxes ranked highest among voter concerns, according to an Associated Press exit poll.

Tenenbaum, who had criticized DeMint's proposal to scrap the Internal Revenue Service and replace it with a national sales tax, did not sway voters.

"From the economic standpoint, I believe in a federal sales tax and eliminating the graduated tax brackets we have," said Dr. John Barbour, 29, of Charleston.

For the first time since Reconstruction, South Carolina will be sending two Republicans to the U.S. Senate.

Close South Carolina Senate Race Heads into Final Hours
November 1, 2004
The Senate race in South Carolina considered a crucial battle, locally and nationally, for Democrats who hope to obtain a slim majority in the U.S. Senate and maintain a presence in a state dominated by Republicans.

Heading into Tuesday's election, Democrat Inez Tenenbaum has moved from underdog status to serious competitor against Republican Jim DeMint. The two-term state secretary of education has campaigned as an independent Democrat who supports the war in Iraq, the death penalty and gun ownership. She opposes outsourcing and has proposed tightening free trade agreements to protect workers in state that relies on textile industry and other manufacturing jobs.

In contrast, DeMint, a three-term congressman, has embraced his party and free trade while proposing radical changes in the tax code, health care and Social Security reform. He has opposed all forms of abortion, gay marriage and created controversy earlier in the campaign when he said openly gay individuals and single mothers should not teach in public schools.

The two candidates, who hope to replace retiring Democrat Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, spent the final Sunday of the campaign in different churches, before criss-crossing the state to make one final push on Monday.

South Carolina Senate Candidates Debate on National Television
October 18, 2004
Update: South Carolina Senate candidates Democrat Inez Tenenbaum and Republican Rep. Jim DeMint met for the first time on the national stage over the weekend, debating Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press.

South Carolina Senate Debate Focuses on Local Issues
October 6, 2004
Update: The first of five televised debates between South Carolina Senate candidates Republican Jim DeMint and Democrat Inez Tenenbaum was an acrimonious affair that continued to focus on more local, less national, issues affecting the conservative Palmetto State.

S.C. Senate Candidates Go Head-to-Head Over Tax Plans
September 24, 2004
Update: The race between South Carolina Senate candidates continues to heat up as Democratic nominee Inez Tenenbaum launched a new wave of attacks against Republican candidate Rep. Jim DeMint over his plan for a national sales tax.