Do we have to create an annual Meacham Award for the least self-aware comment from a pundit? According to the left, the country’s racist party, in the most racist of states, has just nominated the daughter of Indian Sikh immigrants for governor. The Republicans of the state’s first congressional district picked a black man, over the children of Carroll Campbell and Strom Thurmond, to represent them. And for Meacham the interesting question is whether they will drive the party left.

Never mind that the Democrats in the Congressional Black Caucus are among Nancy Pelosi’s most loyal lieutenants. No need for ideological diversity there. These black members of Congress can provide the votes for Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi, and for Meacham ideological diversity takes a backseat to the progressive agenda. Only someone so comfortable in the invariable rightness and common sense of his liberal ideas could observe these elections and determine that their real interest lies in whether these candidates will move the GOP left.

With 78% of precincts reporting, AP has declared Tim Scott the winner of the S.C. 1st District runoff with 69% of vote to Thurmond’s 31%. And with 40 percent of precincts reporting, Nikki Haley was leading Mr. Barrett by 63 percent to 37 percent

South Carolina congressional candidate Tim Scott has won the endorsement of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a coup for the Republican just days before Tuesday’s primary runoff.

AP is reporting that with 90% of precincts reporting, the leading candidate is Tim Scott, an African-American conservative raised by a single mother. He is also the former chairman of the Charleston County Council.

S.C. Rep. Tim Scott has surged ahead of the competition in a crowded race for the S.C. first congressional district seat, according to a new poll released this week. The poll – conducted by National Research on behalf of the S.C. Club for Growth – shows Scott receiving 30 percent of the vote compared to 10 percent for Columbia lobbyist Carroll A. “Tumpy” Campbell III and 9 percent apiece for Charleston attorney Paul Thurmond and accountant Clark Parker. Five other contenders were also measuring support in the single digits.

In perhaps the best news for Scott’s campaign, however, the new poll shows him easily outdistancing his top two opponents in a runoff eletion – which would take place on June 22 if no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote in the primary election on June 8.

Angela McGlowan today held a news conference in Oxford, Miss. to formally announce that she’s seeking the Republican nomination for Congress. The GOP is hoping to unseat Rep. Travis Childers (D-Miss.), who has held Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District seat since mid-2008.