Tuesday, Nov. 04, 2008

Voters guide to local races

5 races to watch: The presidential race has been dominating headlines leading up to Tuesday’s election. But there still are key local contests on the ballot in Richland, Lexington and Kershaw counties.

2nd CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

The district cuts a swath from Northeast Richland to Beaufort; it includes all of Lexington County.

Who’s running: Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson of Lexington against Rob Miller, a Beaufort Democrat, Iraq war veteran and political newcomer.

What’s at stake: A U.S. House seat that national Democrats hope they can steal. Miller is viewed by state and national Democrats as a credible challenger to Wilson, seeking his fourth term in office. The race has come down to Wilson running on his experience and conservative voting record and Miller trying to tie Wilson to what he describes as failed Bush administration economic and war policies.

---------------

S.C. SENATE 26

The district includes parts of Cayce, West Columbia, Red Bank, Batesburg-Leesville, Pine Ridge and South Congaree. Who’s running: Incumbent Democratic state Sen. Nikki Setzler, a Lexington attorney, against Republican Margaret Gamble, a Lexington educator.

What’s at stake: Gamble is trying to unseat a 32-year incumbent in Setzler, who has run as a moderate conservative. Gamble is running on a conservative, pro-education platform. She is one of three women on the ballot for state Senate. One must win to keep the Senate from becoming all male.

---------------

S.C. HOUSE 77

The district includes Brockington Heights, Cedar Creek and Blythewood.

Who’s running: Democratic Richland County Council Chairman Joe McEachern, a real estate agent, against Republican Michael Koska, who owns a photo studio.

What’s at stake: Turning a heavily Democratic district Republican. This seat was vacated by Democratic Rep. John Scott, who is running for the state Senate.

---------------

S.C. HOUSE 79

The district includes parts of northeast Richland and Kershaw counties.

Who’s running: Democrat Anton Gunn, a nonprofit executive, against Republican David Herndon, a small business owner.

What’s at stake: The politically split northeast Richland and Kershaw counties district could go to a Democrat for the first time in a generation. Gunn, who helped run Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s S.C. campaign, leads in the money race. But the House Republican Caucus is behind Herndon.

---------------

RICHLAND COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 8

The district runs from Forest Acres and Arcadia Lakes on to Spring Valley, taking in parts of both the county’s school districts.

Who’s running: One-term Republican incumbent Mike Montgomery, a lawyer, and Democrat Jim Manning, a public health social worker.

What’s at stake: The winner will sit on the council that helps shape growth policy in one of the county’s fastest-growing suburban areas.

---------------

Other contested races

U.S. CONGRESS

U.S. Senate: Incumbent Republican Lindsey Graham of Seneca, Democrat Bob Conley of Myrtle Beach

6th Congressional District: Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. James Clyburn of Columbia, Republican Nancy Harrelson of Mullins. District includes Richland County.

5th Congressional District: Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. John Spratt of York, Republican Albert Spencer of Gaffney. District includes parts of Kershaw and Sumter counties.

---------------

OTHERS IN RICHLAND, LEXINGTON AND KERSHAW COUNTIES

CITY/COUNTY

Camden mayor (nonpartisan): Incumbent Mary Clark, Jeffrey Graham

Cayce mayor (nonpartisan): Paul Giugliano, Bob Malpass (interim mayor), Elise Partin

Cayce City Council (nonpartisan): District 1, John Bloom Jr., Brad Coleman, Steve Isom, Daytona Jarman; District 3, Paul Graham, incumbent Ken Jumper

Lexington mayor (nonpartisan): Constance Flemming, incumbent Randy Halfacre

Lexington County coroner: Republican incumbent Harry Harman, Democrat Haskell Shull

Richland County Council District 7: Democrat Gwendolyn Davis Kennedy, Republican Celestine White Parker. The district includes older urban neighborhoods and the fast-growing I-77 corridor, north of I-20 to Blythewood, between Monticello and Two Notch roads.

---------------

S.C. SENATE, HOUSE

Senate 18: Republican incumbent Ronnie Cromer, Democrat Michael Ray Ellisor. The district includes parts of Irmo, Chapin, Lexington, Gilbert and Batesburg-Leesville.

Senate 19: Democrat John Scott, United Citizens Party Chris Nelums. Incumbent Kay Patterson is retiring. The area includes the Irmo and Broad River Road areas up to Blythewood.

House 39: Democrat Steve Cain, Republican incumbent Marion Frye. The district includes parts of Batesburg-Leesville and Saluda.

House 74: Democratic incumbent Todd Rutherford, Green Party Antonio Williams. The district includes parts of downtown Columbia and Earlewood.

House 76: Democratic incumbent Leon Howard, Libertarian Victor Kocher. The district includes Two Notch Road near Benedict College and up to Dentsville and parts of Spring Valley.

House 85: Republican incumbent Chip Huggins, Democrat Jim Nelson. The district includes Irmo and Chapin.

House 87: Democrat Edgar Gomez, Republican incumbent Nikki Haley. The district includes parts of Lexington, Gilbert, Pelion, Batesburg-Leesville and the south shore of Lake Murray.

---------------

WRITE-INS WORTH NOTING

At least two candidates have highly organized write-in campaigns, putting up billboards and signs and mailing fliers to residents.

Senate 20: Former S.C. Senate clerk Frank Caggiano has launched a write-in campaign as a Democrat to unseat Republican incumbent John Courson. The district includes northwest Richland County and parts of Irmo and St. Andrews.

Richland County clerk of court: Sherri Abbott, a former magistrate’s clerk, has a write-in campaign for clerk of court. Democrat Jeanette McBride won the June primary; no Republican filed to run.

---------------

LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS

All nonpartisan races; (i) denotes incumbent

LEXINGTON 1

Four at-large seats

Sandra Backman, Albert J. “Bert” Dooley (i), Edwin Harmon (i), Jody Lowman, Edward Lundeen Sr., Bruce Moseley, Darren Rogers, Frank Shumpert (i), Cynthia Smith (i)

LEXINGTON 2

Four at-large seats

William “Bill” Bingham Jr. (i), Elizabeth Branham (i), Glen Conwell (i), Jeff Jones, Cynthia Kessler (i), Marland Hardy Mitchell, Nicky Wilson

LEXINGTON 3

Four at-large seats

Craig Caughman, Leon Drafts, Randy Fox (i), Olin Gambrell III, Mike Goff, Ralph Shealy Kennedy Jr. (i), Larry Thomas

LEXINGTON 4

Four at-large seats

Jefford Hart (i), Rhonda Wannamaker Gunter (i), Billy Ingram, Douglas McLean, Chris Pound (i), Taris Smith, Jim St. Clair (i)

LEXINGTON-RICHLAND 5

Two at-large seats, Lexington side

Melvin Amundson, Beth Burn, Jan Hammond, Kevin Kibler, Jeff Knowles, Ed Smith

One at-large seat, Richland side

Earl Lee Brown II, Robert Gantt (i), Win Hughey, L.E. Outlaw, Bruce Reeves

RICHLAND 1

Five seats

Seat 2 (Forest Acres, Satchel Ford, Keenan, Fairwold, north Columbia): Jamie Devine, John Furgess Sr.

Seat 4 (Lower Richland, Olympia): Torlando Childress, Dwayne Smiling (i)

Two at-large seats (four-year terms): Wendy Brawley (i), Vince Ford (i), Doretha Bull, Nammu Muhammed, Harold Murray, Barbara Scott

Special at-large seat (two-year term of vacated seat): Sylather Collins, Susie Dibble, David Edmond, Don Frierson, Hemphill P. Pride III

Note: Three candidates who have withdrawn will still appear on Tuesday’s ballot: Tim Frederick, Okynease Harkness Jones and Katie Riley.

RICHLAND 2

Three at-large seats

Susan Brill (i), Stephanie Burgess (i), Regina Corley (i), Calvin “Chip” Jackson, Angela Koska, James Mobley

---------------

SCHOOL BOND PROPOSALS

In addition to electing school board members — who help lead districts through challenging budgetary times — residents of three school districts will have funding proposals to consider for new and renovated schools.

Lexington 1: Proposal would authorize borrowing $336 million to build three elementaries, one middle and one high school, plus add to or renovate 16 other schools

Lexington-Richland 5: Proposal would authorize borrowing $243.7 million to build a high school, career and technical educational facility, middle school, and elementary school, plus add to or renovate several elementary and high schools.

Richland 2: Proposal would authorize borrowing $306 million for the first funding phase to build four elementaries, one middle school, one high school and one magnet center, plus add to or renovate a number of other schools.

---------------

OTHER BALLOT MEASURES

Constitutional amendments

Amendment 1 asks voters whether to eliminate the part of the state constitution that allows females ages 14 and older to consent to sex. Voting “yes” will effectively raise South Carolina’s age of consent to 16 for both males and females, as outlined in state law.

Amendment 2 asks whether the state should be allowed to invest in stocks to pay for future retirees’ health care and other benefits.

Amendment 3 asks whether local governments like cities and counties should invest post-employment benefits in stocks.

Local

In unincorporated Richland County: If approved, retailers, including grocers, could sell beer and wine on Sundays.

In the town of Blythewood: If approved, retailers, including grocers, could sell beer and wine on Sundays.

In Batesburg-Leesville: If approved, the town could borrow up to $2.5 million to build a new 20,000-square-foot Town Hall at Mitchell Street and Highland Avenue.