McGowan enters US Senate race as DeMint challenger

[ccharles000]

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- A Rock Hill lawyer on Monday entered the Democratic primary race to challenge Republican Sen. Jim DeMint.

Chad McGowan, 38, said he's sidelining his law work so he can focus full-time on the campaign to unseat DeMint, who's become a top target for Democrats.

"Right now, we have a government of the lobbyists, by the lobbyists and for the lobbyists," McGowan said. "It's time to put middle class families first."

DeMint has raised his national profile by opposing an overhaul of immigration laws and, more recently, saying the GOP can create a Waterloo for President Barack Obama by killing health care legislation.

DeMint's most recent campaign finance report show he had $2.8 million on hand at the end of September as he seeks his second term.

McGowan, who hasn't held political office before, expects any incumbent to outspend a challenger by a 3-2 ratio. "We're going to raise whatever it takes," he said as he began his campaign by visiting newspaper reporters.

For now, he said, the campaign will involve those interviews and months of traveling around the state and meeting voters.

http://www.thestate.com/statewire/story/989371.html

[derby378]

1. Website's pretty dinky right now, but here it is:

http://chadmcgowan.com/

[and-justice-for-all]

2. Demented needs put back in his padded cell..nt