DatelineCarolinaMany S.C. voters waited till last minute to decide

Many S.C. voters waited till last minute to decide

By Sara Leary
and
Jenna Kepley

Many South Carolina Republican presidential primary voters said they did not make their decision until the last minute, some not until they stepped into the polling place Saturday.

Kathy Smith said she decided to vote for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas as she was standing in the voting booth at New Heights Church in Harbison.

"I had a gut feeling," said Smith, 53. "When I get a gut feeling I usually go with it."

Richard Ouellette also waited, making the decision to vote for former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney as he walked through the Leaphart Elementary School precinct's door.

"I guess I just liked him more than the others," said Ouellette, 64. "There was so much negativity in the ads this year. More than I can ever remember."

Concerns with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's personal life, Romney's business ventures and the desire to get President Barack Obama out of the White House were all issues with the South Carolina voters but didn't seem to seal the deal for any one candidate.

Dan Wojoski, 59, chose to vote for Romney just five seconds before going into the booth. He said Romney had an 80 percent chance of beating Obama and that it was "all about electability."

Winn Phillips, a 68-year-old Harbison-area voter, said he decided on Friday to vote for Gingrich.   

"It was a toss-up between him and Romney," Phillips said.  

At Sanders Middle School in Richland County – a more Democratic area – Robert and Eleanor Yanity braved the heavy rains and tornado warnings on their 47th wedding anniversary to vote for Gingrich. Eleanor Yanity said she didn't vote for Romney because he won't reveal his tax records and that he was "wishy-washy."  Robert Yanity said he liked Santorum but that he had to be pragmatic with his vote and didn't think the former senator would win.

One voter, who wouldn't give his name, said he liked Romney as a candidate but would not vote for a Mormon. Of 14 people interviewed at that precinct New Heights Church in the Harbison area, northwest of Columbia, five voted for Romney, four for former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, three for Gingrich and two for Paul.

"The president we got now, that four-eyed, fish-faced, weasel-eyed heathen. We got to get him out of there," said Earl Outlaw, an 84-year-old Gingrich supporter from Leesville, southwest of Columbia.

Polls opened at 7 a.m.  Poll managers said turnout was average. Some voters waited in heavy rain that drenched the area.

Polls indicated the vote would be close between Romney and Gingrich. Santorum was trying to capitalize on his momentum from the Iowa caucuses. Iowa officials said this week that their final vote count from the Jan. 3 caucuses put Santorum ahead of Romney by 34 votes, but results were missing from eight precincts.

Signs at precincts reminded voters that although Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, businessman Herman Cain, former U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman and Texas Gov. Rick Perry remained on the ballot, had all dropped out.