A daily look at the top 10 Charleston stories of 2008. Look for the entire list in the Dec. 24 Charleston City Paper.
10. Scarborough Struggle
If anyone thought that Wallace Scarborough would just accept defeat in his failed reelection bid for S.C. House District 115, they’ve obviously never been caught in his backyard on a dark and stormy night. The race was already destined to be a nail-biter after the Republican’s slim 40-vote victory in 2006. The drama this year started early when Eugene Platt, who lost the Democratic Primary, attempted to run under a third party. The Dems successfully blocked his appearance on the ballot, recognizing that an already close race could be easily tipped by a left-leaning third choice. Scarborough would lose by just over 200 votes to Democrat Anne Peterson Hutto, but he claims hundreds of James Island residents voted illegally, and he’s taking his challenge to the very Republican-controlled House that voters just kicked him out of.
In 2009: Peterson Hutto will already have been a voting member for weeks before Scarborough’s challenge potentially makes it to the floor of the House. If he’s successful, legislators could call for a new election, likely putting Scarborough, Peterson Hutto, and, most importantly, Platt, back on the ballot.
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