Jim DeMint: 'I Will Not Endorse A Candidate'

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) announced definitively Monday that he will not endorse a GOP presidential candidate.

"I do not have a favorite in this race and I will not endorse a candidate," he wrote in an email to supporters. "I have complimented several of our candidates when they spoke out on conservative issues, but the media has suggested that I favor one over the others," he said. He added that all of the GOP candidates are "far superior" to President Barack Obama.

DeMint had previously indicated that he was not going to make an endorsement, but the email shuts the door.

"I have the ability to raise $10 (million) or $15 million to elect some senators and that's how I think I can help the next president. So that's what I want to do," he recently told the AP. "As soon as I get involved with one (presidential) candidate, I've got 80 percent of my supporters mad at me."

However, he has said that he thinks former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney will win the state's Jan. 21 primary and said he was "concerned" about GOP attacks against him over his tenure at Bain Capital.

DeMint endorsed Romney in the 2008 presidential race, who lost the state's primary and the GOP nomination to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Romney came in fourth in the state. Some of DeMint's allies have endorsed Romney in 2012.

DeMint's endorsements and fundraising for 2010 U.S. Senate candidates through his Senate Conservatives Fund PAC helped elect Marco Rubio and Rand Paul over establishment GOP candidates. Other candidates, like Christine O'Donnell of Delaware and Ken Buck of Colorado, won their primaries but lost in the general election.

Ahead of Saturday's crucial primary, Gov. Nikki Haley (R) has endorsed Romney along with state Treasurer Curtis Loftis, while Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Tea-Party favorite Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) have not endorsed.

Comments

[l78lancer]

12:02 AM on 01/17/2012

DeMint's attitude telegraphs the right's thoughts and beliefs in their infallibility, close-mindedness and intransigence.

Therefore, the prospects for cooperation to get anything done in Washington will become more bleak as they attempt to unseat Obama. And it will be that same lack of cooperation that will hurt the republicans perceptually and diminish their chance for the White House.

[nappyman]

11:56 PM on 01/16/2012

Kinda speaking volumes about what how they feel about these yahoos. Yet they want us to buy the lemon.

[Dbos]

11:12 PM on 01/16/2012

The South Carolina repuglikan primary; not since green acres,the beverly hillbillies, gomer pyle and the andy griffth show has so many goobers been on TV.

[jturbayne]

10:59 PM on 01/16/2012

Where did the Mt. Rushmore gop candidates come from?

[eddw88]

10:48 PM on 01/16/2012

He added that all of the GOP candidates are "far superior" to President Barack Obama.




He means that they are white.

[ralphnovy]

10:04 PM on 01/16/2012

DeMint: The Roscoe Conkling of today's politics (he'd like to think).

[StillAmused]

08:19 PM on 01/16/2012

It's a close, crowded field, but DeMint pretty much has the "Worst Person In The World" title locked.

Gotta wonder if genetics play a role in such over-the-top character disorders...

[Jennifer Mead]

08:16 PM on 01/16/2012

They are so superior I can't support them! He pretty much let us know what he thinks.

[blue53]

08:16 PM on 01/16/2012

So the cult member DeMint, can't convince his friends to vote for a Mormon. C Street/the Fellowship is in turmoil--afraid they will have limited ability to manipulate another republican administration. But never fear--they still have the Congress.

[cef911f1]

08:07 PM on 01/16/2012

That's code for "anyone but Romney".

[LMPE]

07:40 PM on 01/16/2012

If any of the candidates figures out how to always look angry, like Demented does, he'll endorse that one.

[Margo Arrowsmith]

07:33 PM on 01/16/2012

So he's endorsing the non Romney but he hates all of them too so he won't do anyone   My God how low can it get the deMint doesn't like any of them?

[doodlebug2]

07:33 PM on 01/16/2012

biggest used car salesman on the planet.

[Lahonda]

06:25 PM on 01/16/2012

"Burn me twice, back to the ranch."

~ GWB

[gaydood]

06:19 PM on 01/16/2012

demity who cares lol !!!!!!!!!!!