Wilson defeats Jennings after fierce campaignBy Schuyler Kropf (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Melissa Haneline Scarlett Wilson hugs legal assistant Naomi Nation at Pearlz in West Ashley after winning the Republican nomination for the 9th Circuit Solicitor's office. 
Melissa Haneline Scarlett Wilson high-fives a supporter at Pearlz in West Ashley after winning the Republican nomination for the 9th Circuit Solicitor's office. Video
Scarlett Wilson won the race for 9th Circuit Solicitor against Blair Jennings Tuesday evening. Watch » Scarlett Wilson's blowout win in Tuesday's Republican primary means the region is on the verge of having its first elected female prosecutor. The 15-year courtroom veteran jumped out to a big lead in Charleston County and she successfully turned back rival Blair Jennings to win the Republican nomination for 9th Circuit Solicitor. The victory ends a heated courthouse duel that began last September. "Y'all are smarter and more astute than I could imagine," the first-time candidate told supporters during her victory celebration. With no Democrat in the race, Wilson, 40, is practically assured a four-year term in office after the November general election. Unofficial results for both Berkeley and Charleston counties gave her 58 percent of the two-county vote to Jennings' 42 percent, with about 99 percent of precincts reporting. Jennings, who had prosecuted cases in Berkeley County, failed to run strong there, while Wilson was the overwhelming favorite among Charleston County voters. Jennings conceded before 9 p.m. He said he respected Wilson, and that, despite the loss, he was pleased to have taken part in the process. "It's been a long year for everybody," he added, saying he wanted to take some time to reflect. Wilson was appointed solicitor by Gov. Mark Sanford last year in the wake of former Solicitor Ralph Hoisington's death from pancreatic cancer. She had been Hoisington's chief lieutenant in Charleston. "I'm grateful the voters affirmed Ralph's choice and they affirmed Gov. Sanford's choice," Wilson said. She said she also was "grateful for Berkeley voters showing up the way they did." Jennings will return to his job helping out on prosecutions in the Dorchester County Solicitor's Office and wind down his position as counsel for Berkeley County Sheriff Wayne DeWitt. The result ends a rift between the two candidates that began last summer after Wilson asked Jennings to quit or face being fired from his post as deputy solicitor in charge of the circuit's Berkeley County office. She cited what appeared to be a lack of his support for her new administration, though Jennings said the move was motivated by politics. During the campaign, both candidates cited their prosecution records, a desire to put violent criminals behind bars and, for a time, promises to help wage the war on illegal immigrants who commit crimes here. But Jennings also hit Wilson hard in TV ads and mail-outs, suggesting she was soft on criminals. Wilson mainly responded with a more-positive TV advertising campaign, using former state Attorney General Charlie Condon as a surrogate who spoke on her behalf. After a short career as a state prosecutor in Columbia, in 1995 Wilson became a federal prosecutor and would become part of the U.S. Attorney's Office Violent Crimes Task Force. She joined the Charleston solicitor's office in 2000 when Hoisington made her his second in command after he was first elected. |
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Comments
This article has 38 comment(s)
Posted by Charlestonguy on June 11, 2008 at 1:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations Scarlett...you earned it!! Your hard work and perseverance paid off.
Posted by carolinapanther on June 11, 2008 at 2:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Harpo, you seem to like it enough to stay in the area, so the incumbents must being doing something right, or else why dont you leave? I admit that there needed to be some changes made but why do you have to put eveybody down and call them names?
Posted by lillycollette on June 11, 2008 at 4:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations Solicitor Wilson.
Posted by Siri on June 11, 2008 at 5:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations Scarlett. I still think 10 is not long enough. LOL. You do the crime , you do the time. Age be damn! Its nice to know Daddy's $ didn't work lastnight either.
Posted by carolinapanther on June 11, 2008 at 5:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congrats to Scarlett Wilson!
Posted by jcg04 on June 11, 2008 at 6:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congrats Solicitor Wilson - Its always good to see the candidate that wins the election is the candidate that refused to stoop to the opponents level. I am very happy for you and the solicitors office. And it gives me piece of mind to know that the solicitors office are in capable hands. Which would not be possible if Sheriff DeWitt, oops, I mean Blair Jennings had won the office.
Posted by ColdBeer on June 11, 2008 at 6:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congrats Ms. Wilson! Now... let's see you get even tougher on crime.
Posted by blackwoman on June 11, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Way to go Scarlett!!
Posted by mdtpace on June 11, 2008 at 8:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Harpo, it must be a real burden being more enlightened and intelligent than everyone else. This wasn't some narrow win, she won by a large margin. Her character is intact, she ran a clean campaign, she never went negative, and the best candidate won. So keep running your mouth, it really shows your character.
Posted by candygirl on June 11, 2008 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congrats to you Scarlett! You deserve it!
Posted by Early on June 11, 2008 at 8:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Is it suppose to rain today?
Posted by Lois_Lane on June 11, 2008 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Frankly Scarlett, We Do Give A Damn!!
Posted by 10216340 on June 11, 2008 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations Scarlett Wilson!
Posted by ThinkAboutThis on June 11, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Y'all are smarter and more astute than I could imagine," the first-time candidate told supporters"
LMAO- only in SC would there be an acceptance statement like that! What do you think your voting citizens are stupid or something?
Just get the job done and better than the last 9 months or so has proven OK YA'LL!!
Posted by hillbilly on June 11, 2008 at 9:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Think about this.
Scarlett won..no wait..she blew away the money men on Broad Street.
Now let's see the defense lawyers play let's make a deal.
Posted by realityck on June 11, 2008 at 10:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations Scarlett!!
Posted by Girleygirl on June 11, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations Scarlett!
Posted by abitskeptical on June 11, 2008 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I will hope for the best out of Ms. Wilson, & would welcome a sense of trusting that she is without agendas except for one where justice, fairness & truth,is applied in every aspect of how she performs in her job as Solicitor of the 9th circuit.
That said, as of today, I still have many concerns in the midst of hopes for the best.
Perhaps in the future, the concerns will resolve.
For today at least, I will respect that this is a day of celebration for her & her supporters.
I do wish her well.
Posted by DontSpamMeBro on June 11, 2008 at 11:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Did you catch her speech on the news last night? In effect, she called Charleston county voters stupid morons with her statement, "I didn't think you had it in you, but I guess you're smarter than I thought." Hehehe. Be prepared for a few years of mistrials and ill advised plea deals.
Posted by retired96 on June 11, 2008 at 11:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Its nice to know Daddy's $ didn't work lastnight either." UNQUOTE
Too many of this generation use Daddy's/Mama's $s to live high lives, keep up or surpass the Jones, buy all the status toys, buy political positions, keep afloat during this recession, think they are fooling the neighbors and associates, etc., while not having the work ethics of the boomers and previous generations. Happy & great day for Jennings to lose to the more experienced Scarlett! Wonderful that Scarlett did not LOWER herself to Jennings STANDARD/example of negative campaigning which is a very bad reflection on him and hopefully will influence his future in a negative manner.
Posted by mypointofview on June 11, 2008 at 11:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations, Scarlett, for taking the high road and running on your proven experience and commitment to law enforcement. Charleston got it right this time.
Posted by scnative4ever on June 11, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Congradulations Scarlett. Raregar and harpo, you folks are a couple of stupid loosers. get a life guys.
Posted by Charles_Town on June 11, 2008 at 12:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's sad how when a person's choice is not elected and they have to result to insulting remarks on the winner's physical appearance... says a lot about that person's character.
Posted by hillbilly on June 11, 2008 at 12:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Who's the Chuckie Doll now, twerps?
Posted by Girleygirl on June 11, 2008 at 1:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Charles-Town- Everytime I look at Scarlett, she reminds me of what Jennifer Anniston would like like in her 60s. I am not putting Scarlett down either before some of you all say I am being mean. Jennifer Anniston is pretty.
Regardless though I am happy she won...
Posted by fragdemon on June 11, 2008 at 2:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In the second picture is that Andy Savage in the back of the picture giving the fist pump? I don't mean anything by asking, just curious...
Posted by coccougs on June 11, 2008 at 2:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Harpo - get a life (or at least go get an education or a clue). Blair Jennings decided to run while Mr. Hoisington was sick. Mere weeks after the funeral, when he inappropriately announced his intentions - he was given months to resign on his own terms. That is what anyone with any character would have done in that situation, rather than tear an important office in half. Instead, he made a calculated political decision to sit tight. He knew that Scarlett would have no choice but to eventually fire him. He knew he could then twist and turn the facts of that firing into a campaign issue. Thank god it only duped a few less intelligent members of the community like you. That was his first dirty polictical move of many. Negative ads, negative mailings w/ lies and half-truths, character assasinations - he was slimy through the whole thing. I am pleasantly surprised that the dirty good ole boy tricks didn't work this time. The honest straight-forward campaign actually won for a change - GO SCARLETT!
. . . and by the way, your "inside" information is badly misinformed. Your drinking buddy who writes traffic tickets for the Goose Creek P.D. does not represent the hundreds of real cops and detectives who have supported Scarlett since the begining.
Why do I waste my time with idiots like Harpo, Thomas1776, SCGal? she won! get over it, your ill-informed unintelligible criticims did not work, you sad little angry people . . . crawl back in your holes.
Posted by hillbilly on June 11, 2008 at 4:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey Harpo..Nothing below the belt?
What do you call those negative political ads
designed to make Scarlett look bad. It certainly didn't make Blair look good. Most of the folks I spoke with
said the ads turned them off to Blair. So they backfired.
Let's face it, Scarlett is just better than Blair.
Posted by carolinapeach on June 11, 2008 at 5:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is very amusing reading the comments and the effort people will go through to be heard. I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate Scarlett Wilson on her victory. Now, hopefully, she can get the solicitors office on the ball and make sure justice is served. It would be nice if she reviewed cases that detectives have worked very diligently on solving and make sure they are prosecuted.....AND yes, I do have one in mind. JUSTICE FOR TINA LAIRD
Posted by amholsclaw on June 11, 2008 at 5:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The Laird family is asking for your help with justice for Tina.We see you have the power to help do something and all who love Tina are looking your way,Make her life your statement on domestic violence and how you will support the stand WE NEED YOU!
Posted by MISCHEIF on June 11, 2008 at 6:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
PLEASE HELP GET JUSTICE FOR TINA LAIRD AND SUPPORT BETTER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LAWS AND STRICTER PUNISHMENT FOR THE OFFENDERS!
Posted by SCgal on June 11, 2008 at 6:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Posted by coccougs
"Why do I waste my time with idiots like Harpo, Thomas1776, SCGal?"
I'll take an apology now or see you in court! Subpoena's are easy to come by around here and magistrate's court is just as easy:+)
Posted by bravecharleston9myspace on June 11, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I AGREE....
LET'S SEE IF THIS WOMAN IS MADE OF ANYTHING SHALL WE????
LET'S DO GET SOME JUSTICE FOR TINA LAIRD
http://www.myspace.com/justicefortina
GET BETTER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LAWS
AND
STRICTER PUNISHMENT FOR THE OFFENDERS OF IT
AND
SEX OFFENDERS!!
******************************************
COME ON WILSON.....WHAT ARE YOU MADE OF ANYWAY???
UR SMART VOTERZ AND UZ ODDER PEEPZ R WUTCHIN...lol
never forgetting together,
missy
Posted by grayghost on June 11, 2008 at 7:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
THAT WAS ANDY SAVAGE!!!
Posted by angela_lienemann1 on June 11, 2008 at 7:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
we want justice for tina laird.open.reopen her case get some thing done this family deserves some answers...now!
Posted by ThinkAboutThis on June 11, 2008 at 8:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Is it true Wilson's speech was held at a downtown BAR?
Posted by CONNIE2J on June 11, 2008 at 11:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LET'S DO GET JUSTICE FOR TINA LAIRD
http://www.myspace.com/justicefortina
Posted by SCgal on June 12, 2008 at 6:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Posted and authored by:
Posted by coccougs on June 11, 2008 at 2:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Why do I waste my time with idiots like Harpo, Thomas1776, SCGal? she won! get over it, your ill-informed unintelligible criticims did not work, you sad little angry people . . . crawl back in your holes."