SC VOTES

South Carolina voters will go to the polls Nov. 6. This is Mark Bellune’s 1st of a 3-part series on the candidates.

Constitutional

Amendment

No later than 2023 the Superintendent of Education will be appointed by the governor and approved by the state Senate.

A ‘No’ vote means we continue to vote for the Superintendent of Education.

Governor

Republican Gov. Henry McMaster is seeking his first full term as South Carolina’s governor after taking over from former Gov. Nikki Haley. Haley resigned to become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

McMaster will face Democrat lawmaker James Smith.

McMaster previously served two years as lieutenant governor, eight years as SC attorney general, and four years as a United States attorney.

McMaster says “he made prosecution of criminal domestic violence a top priority, cracked down on child internet predators and extended the state grand jury’s jurisdiction to environmental and gang crimes, broadeneing its authority to include securities crimes following the collapse of Carolina Investors and Home Gold.”

Source: henrymcmaster.com

James Smith is currently a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, a major in the South Carolina Army National Guard, a small business owner, and practicing attorney in Columbia.

He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and University of South Carolina School of Law. A veteran in the South Carolina Army National Guard, his website says he also spent 12 months in Afghanistan, “making him one of a small number of public officials nationwide who have served the United States in combat.”

Source: jamessmither.com

Attorney general

Republican Alan Wilson of Lexington is seeking his third term as the state’s attorney general.

Wilson was elected South Carolina’s 51st attorney general on Nov. 2, 2010, becoming the nation’s youngest Attorney General, his site says. He is a military veteran continuing to serve.

Source: wilsonforag.com

Democrat Constance Anastopoulo says “she is a litigator who built on her courtroom successes to become a leading expert on insurance and ethics law.” As a tenured professor of law, Anastopoulo teaches torts, ethics, and insurance. She was voted “Best Professor” by Charleston School of Law students.

Source: anastopouloforag.com

Secretary of State

Republican Mark Hammond has served as the state’s secretary of state since 2003.

He is a former Spartan-burg County Clerk of Court.

Hammond stated his main objective during his third term was to increase protections for charitable donors.

Source: ballotpedia.org

Democrat Melvin T. Whittenburg is a retired major in the U.S. Army.

He was born and raised in Columbia, and says he served in a “number of military and humanitarian relief operations including Hurricane Hugo, Desert Shield/ Desert Storm, and the Global War on Terror.”

After retiring from the Army, Whittenburg says he used his leadership ability and business acumen during a successful career with ExxonMobil Corporation.

Source: melvinwhittenburg.org

State Treasurer

Republican Curtis Loftis of West Columbia was elected state treasurer in 2010.

A native of Lexington County and graduate of the University of South Carolina, Loftis says he is also a successful small business owner and the founder and benefactor of The Saluda Charitable Foundation.

He says he is a strong fiscal conservative and passionate advocate of taxpayers. He says he was elected on the promise to protect state funds by working to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse and bring transparency and accountability to state government.

Source: curtisloftis.com

Democrat Rosalyn L. Glenn of Columbia says her high moral character and extraordinary ethical standards were instilled in her by her family.

She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in Sociology and is the President and CEO of Glenn Destiny Consulting, LLC.

Source: rosalynglenn.com

Sarah Work, American Party, says she is running for treasurer as an independent to ensure South Carolina is “ready for the future.” She is a mother and a certified public accountant.

Source: workforsc.org

Secretary of Education

Republican Molly Mitchell Spearman of Saluda has served as the state’s secretary of education since 2015, is a former state representative, music teacher and assistant principal.

Source: ballotpedia.org

Democrat Dr. Israel Romero of Taylors believes that education must be relevant to improving the lives of the people it touches.

Now an “independent journalistic scientific researcher and writer,” Dr. Romero has served as a professor at Bridgewater State University, teacher of algebra in special education at Brock-ton Public Schools, and Spanish at Foxborough Public Schools in Massachusetts.

Source: facebook.com

Commissioner of

Agriculture

Republican Hugh Weathers is co-owner of Weathers Farms, Inc., Weathers Trucking Inc., and a graduate of the University of South Carolina, magna cum laude, BS, accounting and finance. He has served as the commissioner of agriculture since 2004.

Source: hughweathers.com

Chris Nelums, United States Citizens Party, of Columbia, attended Midlands Technical College, Dickerson Theological Seminary (Allen University), and graduated from Benedict College. He is the current Pastor of Bethany A.M.E.

Source: ourcampaigns.com

David Edmond, Green Party, a native of Batesburg-Leesville, is a veteran of the US Army, a former veterinary food inspector, an ordained minister and a traveling elder. He says he wants to create a “first-class research program designed to bring healthy foods to every home in South Carolina.”

Source: edmond4agriculturesc.com

House of Representatives,

2nd District

Republican Joe Wilson of Springdale served for 17 years as a member of the South Carolina State Senate and retired from the Army Reserves and South Carolina Army National Guard after 31 years of service as a Colonel in 2003.

He currently serves as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee for Emerging Threats and Capabilities, and is a senior member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Wilson also serves on the Republican Policy Committee and as an Assistant Republican Whip.

Source: joewilsonforcongress.com

Democrat Sean Carrigan of Chapin is a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Excelsior College. He is a graduate of leadership schools including the Warrior Leadership Course, the Advanced Leadership Course, and the Senior Leadership Course. He now owns his own real-estate business.

In 2015 Carrigan retired as a 1st Sergeant after 28 years in the US Army, his site says.

Source: carriganforcongress.com

Sonny Narang, American Party, of West Columbia graduated from Brookland-Cayce High School and studied business, welding and nuclear engineering technology. He attended the University of South Carolina, Clemson University and Midlands Technical College, his site states.

He runs businesses in West Columbia.

Source: sonny4congress.com

Republican Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom faces no opposition Nov. 6.

Republican Lexington County Probate Judge Dan Eckstrom faces no opposition. Of the four Lexington County Council seats up for election, none of the four incumbent Republicans face opposition.