National Affairs: A Promise Is a Promise

Senator J. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, Dixiecrat candidate for President in 1948, was the first man ever to be elected to Congress by write-in votes against an opponent whose name was printed on the ballot. Thurmond stumped as a write-in because he was angry at the South Carolina Democratic Executive Committee for hand-picking a candidate (Edgar Brown) instead of holding a primary. In that campaign Thurmond promised the voters that, if elected, he would resign before the next regular primary to let them do the picking.

Two weeks ago, with the next primary...

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