(CNN) - Republican strategist and former presidential adviser Karl Rove said Thursday that Rep. Gresham Barrett will have a tough time catching up to state Rep. Nikki Haley in the South Carolina gubernatorial runoff.
Haley captured 49 percent of the vote in Tuesday's GOP primary, while Barrett finished a distant second. The runoff election is June 22 and some Republicans have suggested that Barrett step aside and let Haley become the nominee.
Asked in a Fox News appearance if Barrett should drop out of the runoff, Rove answered, "Well, he's a really good man and this is a decision that's up to him."
"But you know, 49 percent - if it was a 49-46 or a 49-40, and the other candidates were rushing in to endorse Barrett, it'd be one thing," Rove said. "But 49 percent to 20-some-odd percent - that's a big gap to make up. He's got make that decision himself."
Rove predicted that Republican voters "who supported other candidates are now going to find themselves, you know, sort of moving naturally into the campaign of the candidate who got nearly as many votes as all the rest of the candidates combined."
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Rove should be in jail with Cheney.
Keep Nikki! It will keep the campaign salacious and, therefore, interesting.
Maybe Rove can indulge in a little nostalgia and start a anonymous phone campaign accusing Barrett of fathering a "non-Caucasian" child as he did with McCain in 2000 who with his wife had adopted a Bangladesh child. Sort of bring back the old days.
Wow! I am impressed! I never could have figured out on my own that someone with 49% of the vote in the first round was likely to win a runoff against someone with 22%.
Thank you, Karl Rove, for your masterful insight to the election process. You are indeed the master.
What non-news is next, CNN?
Rove also said the Hillary Clinton would be the Democratic Party nominee for president. He also said there were weapons of mass destruction.
he might be a really good man, BUT YOU ARE DEFINATELY NOT, and so any advice or analysis has no meaning
crawl back under your rock rove
Who cares what Karl Rove thinks? He was a key part of the most incompetent and criminal administration in the history of this nation. I'm surprised that anyone actually listens to this idiot.
We don't what you have to say Karl aka TURD
Can anyone explain why rove is not in prison?
Repubicans are really listening to Rove for potlical advice? There is no one in all of history that has damaged the GOP more than Karl Rove.
How many times do you get hit over the head before you bother to look at who is swinging the club? Chenny, Rove, Gingrich, Palin .....how damaging do they have to get before the right gets it?
Reading the tea leaves again, Rove? Or worried that some other *news* about Nikki might come out before November?
Be realistic, Rove. Nearly half of the candidates being picked by the Tea Party to date aren't exactly *winners*, are they?
But, do keep endorsing them. It's been rather amusing to watch how they are all trying to back pedal from their previous statements.
Can't wait to see how the GOPers start trying to spin Nevada candidate Angel.
It seems no one wants to give up even a long shot, at winning a race. The obvious thing is......there is more to lose, than just a job......but no one wants the public to know about that.
The amusing thing, is that they call it "public service". What BS.
easy solution...vote Democrat, SC!
You really went out on limb with that bold prediction O wise one Karl.