COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department was wrong to block South Carolina from requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification to vote, the state’s top prosecutor argued in a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
Enforcement of the new law, passed by state lawmakers last year, “will not disenfranchise any potential South Carolina voter,” Attorney General Alan Wilson argues in the suit against U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
In December, the Justice Department rejected South Carolina’s law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls, the first such law to be refused by the federal agency in nearly 20 years.
The department said the law failed to meet the requirements of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which outlawed discriminatory practices preventing blacks from voting. The law also requires the Justice Department to approve changes to South Carolina’s election laws because of the state’s past failure to protect the voting rights of blacks.
Sixty-four percent said the debates were an important factor for them; just 34 percent said they were not. Gingrich won standing ovations in both debates while Romney often struggled - and at one point received a smattering of boos for equivocating over how many years of his tax returns he would release.
CNN reports that exit polls show 38% of S.C. voters supported Newt Gingrich, 29% forMitt Romney, 17% for Rick Santorum, and 15% for Rep. Ron Paul. See All Exit Polls ›
Barracuda Brigade will be live blogging the events in South Carolina into the night. So come back to read the latest.
Newt’s surge in support after strong debate performances this past week will carry him to victory !!!
