COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina Democrats have elected tart-tongued Columbia lawyer Dick Harpootlian as their chairman.

Harpootlian's election Saturday at the state party's convention puts him back in the role he left after Democrats lost the governor's mansion in 2002.

Harpootlian said that loss came as Democrats got complacent. He replaces Carol Fowler who was not seeking a third term.

The GOP controls the Statehouse and all nine of South Carolina's constitutional offices and Harpootlian said he's tired of being the doormat for Republicans. He said he's tired of the humiliation Republicans have brought the state.

Harpootlian said he'll start airing ads targeting Republicans next week as they meet to elect their own new chairman.

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